The research, in the general area of Analytical and Surface Chemistry, focuses on studies of collision-induced dissociation of polyatomic ions. The work promises to lead to a much better understanding of such processes which may play an important role in the future design of commercial mass spectrometers. A systematic study will be carried out of a number of polyatomic ions, namely enolic C3H6O ions, metal carbonyl ions, aromatic ions and fluorocarbon ions. The role of electronic excitation prior to and after collisional activation will be examined with a view to understanding the mechanism of the collision-induced dissociation process. Experiments will be performed in a unique instrument specially adapted to these studies.
