Ion Mobility Fragmentation in Heated Gas at Atmospheric Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry techniques face challenges in achieving effective fragmentation of molecular ions at atmospheric pressure, leading to low selectivity and difficulty in analyzing complex samples.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for ion mobility spectrometry that fragments molecular ions at pressures of at least 50 mbar, using thermal energy in a heated gas to produce sub-molecular fragments, followed by separation and identification based on ion mobility characteristics, without additional charged species or electromagnetic radiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ion mobility spectrometry is performed at atmospheric pressure, then the system can operate in a compact configuration with easier sample introduction, but effective fragmentation of molecular ions becomes difficult achieving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by heating the buffer gas to elevated temperatures (e.g., 100-500°C) while maintaining atmospheric pressure conditions. This temperature parameter change enables effective fragmentation of molecular ions through enhanced collisional energy transfer, resolving the contradiction between ease of atmospheric pressure operation and fragmentation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action through pulsed ion injection combined with periodic heating cycles of the buffer gas. This allows the system to accumulate thermal energy in the gas phase and deliver controlled fragmentation events, maintaining both operational simplicity and effective ion fragmentation at atmospheric pressure.
2Device complexity
If conventional ion mobility spectrometry is used without additional charged species or electromagnetic radiation, then the device complexity is reduced, but selectivity in analyzing complex samples deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the buffer gas to enable thermal fragmentation, which provides structure-related fragment ions for improved analytical selectivity. This approach maintains instrument simplicity by avoiding additional charged species or electromagnetic radiation sources while achieving enhanced measurement precision through thermally activated fragmentation pathways.
3Manufacturing precision
If thermal energy in heated gas is used for fragmentation at pressures of at least 50 mbar, then fragmentation efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic heating cycles where the buffer gas is heated to fragmentation temperatures only during specific time windows when ion packets are present in the drift region. This periodic action reduces overall energy consumption compared to continuous heating, while maintaining high fragmentation efficiency during the active measurement periods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient fragmentation and separation of molecular ions into structure-related fragments at atmospheric pressure, enhancing selectivity and enabling accurate identification of molecular ions through their fragment ion patterns.
Implementation Method 1
using thermal energy in a heated gas to produce sub-molecular fragments
Implementation Method 2
ions are caused to drift through a drift space under the influence of a constant or time-varying electric field and/or a flowing gas and separate in time and/or space
Data Source
AI summary
An ion mobility spectrometry method is described comprising: providing a sample; generating molecular ions from the sample; separating the molecular ions according to their mobility characteristics; fragmenting at least some of the separated molecular ions to form sub-molecular fragment ions in a fragmentation zone; separating at least some of the fragment ions according to their mobility characteristics; wherein the separation and fragmentation steps are performed at a pressure of at least 50 mbar; detecting at least some of the separated fragment ions; and identifying at least one molecular ion based on its mobility characteristics and/or the mobility characteristics of at least one detected fragment ion.