Paper-Supported MALDI-TOF Plate With Metal Layer for Lower-Cost Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current MALDI-TOF analysis plates are costly to produce and require labor-intensive cleaning and preparation, with high unit costs and lengthy processing times due to their material constraints, such as metal plates being expensive and polymer plates being single-use or requiring extensive decontamination.
Innovation Solution
A MALDI-TOF analysis plate featuring a paper material support with a thin metal layer applied via vacuum metallization or transfer metallization, providing a cost-effective and reusable option with improved handling and measurement accuracy, utilizing a paper material sheet with cellulose fibers and optional synthetic fibers, and a metal ply for conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If metal plates are used for MALDI-TOF analysis, then conductivity and measurement accuracy are improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining paper material (cellulose fibers) with a metal layer (aluminum or other conductive metal). This composite structure provides the necessary electrical conductivity for MALDI-TOF analysis while using less expensive paper as the base material instead of solid metal plates, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal layer is applied locally only to the analysis zones on the paper plate rather than covering the entire plate. This localized application provides conductivity exactly where needed for the analysis spots, reducing the amount of expensive metal required while ensuring sufficient electrical conductivity for accurate measurements in the analysis regions.
2Ease of manufacture
If polymer plates are used for MALDI-TOF analysis, then production cost is reduced, but reusability and durability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure with paper material providing mechanical strength and durability similar to metal plates, combined with a metal layer for conductivity. This composite approach allows the plates to be reused multiple times unlike single-use polymer plates, while the paper base remains more cost-effective to produce than solid metal plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The paper plates are designed with a rigid, flat structure that maintains dimensional stability during repeated use. The structural integrity of the paper material allows the plates to withstand multiple cycles of cleaning, storage, and reuse without degradation, enabling reusability comparable to metal plates.
3Reliability
If extensive cleaning and preparation procedures are used, then analysis reliability is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The paper material plates are designed to be inherently resistant to contamination and easier to clean than traditional metal or polymer plates. The surface properties of the paper material allow for quicker decontamination procedures, reducing the time required for cleaning and preparation between uses while maintaining analysis reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the surface properties and material composition of the plates to optimize cleaning efficiency. The paper material with its specific fiber structure and surface characteristics allows for faster removal of contaminants compared to traditional plates, reducing processing time while preserving analysis quality and reliability.
4Ease of manufacture
If thin metal layers are applied to paper material, then production cost is reduced, but electrical conductivity may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The metal layer is applied specifically to the analysis zones on the paper plate where electrical conductivity is needed for the MALDI-TOF analysis. This localized metal coating provides sufficient conductivity for ionization and signal detection in the critical analysis regions while using minimal metal material, thus reducing production costs while maintaining necessary electrical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure of paper material with a thin metal layer creates a synergistic effect where the paper provides mechanical support and the metal provides electrical conductivity. This combination achieves cost-effective production while ensuring sufficient electrical conductivity for reliable MALDI-TOF analysis through the optimized interface between the two materials.
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
The solution reduces production costs and processing time while maintaining analysis accuracy, allowing for reliable detection of bacterial strains and proteins with MALDI-TOF analysis, achieving identification probabilities comparable to commercial reference plates.
Implementation Method 1
a thin metal layer applied via vacuum metallization or transfer metallization
Implementation Method 2
a thin metal layer applied via vacuum metallization or transfer metallization
Implementation Method 3
the ionization may be performed with a nitrogen laser emitting an ultraviolet (UV) spectrum line at 337.1 nanometers (nm)
Implementation Method 4
the matrix subliming, to molecules present in the population of one or more microorganisms being desorbed
Implementation Method 5
The matrix then absorbs energy from the photons, and restitution of this energy leads to the matrix subliming
Implementation Method 6
These ions are then accelerated by an electric field, and they fly freely in a tube under low pressure, referred to as a 'flight tube'
Implementation Method 7
The times-of-flight (TOS) taken by the ions are used to calculate their masses
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an analysis plate (10) including at least one analysis zone for receiving a sample to be analyzed by mass spectrometry using the MALDI-TOF technique, the plate being of the type having at least one test face (12) with at least one analysis zone defined thereon and of the type in which the plate includes a support (18) that is plane, the plate being characterized in that the support (18) comprises at least one sheet (20) of paper material comprising cellulose fibers, and in that the analysis plate (10) includes at least one ply (24) of metal material.