I have a polymer material and I want to find out what type it is. I want to know its chemical formula. How many Carbons, Hydrogen and Oxygen are there?
I already know that Electron Microscopy (SEM, TEM) and AAS are not appropriate for detection and analysis of these materials.
You are looking for mass spectrometry, I presume.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_spectrometry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductively_coupled_plasma_atomic_emission_spectroscopy
(I know, Wikipedia. Yet in this case, the source provides all necessary information)
Search for spectrometers. In my opinion mass spectroscopy or NMR may be useful.
Take care while using mass device as it is destructive for samples,however, chemical formula can be known from it if you know the molecules formed the polymer.
IR spectrometers can give you the relative amounts of C, H and O and you can construct an empirical formula based on that. Find its molar mass. Then by appropriate division of the molar mass by the empirical formula weight you can determine the average number of repeating units in the polymer. Spectroscopy would also tell you about the presence of single bond vs. double bonds, etc., so that you can now create the accurate formula of the polymer.
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