Polymer Electrospray Sample Support With Solvent Reservoir Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional polymer-spray ionization methods for mass spectrometry suffer from poor signal quality, instability, and inefficiency in detecting hydrophilic compounds due to issues with sample support materials and solvent management.
Innovation Solution
A sample support for polymer-spray mass spectrometry featuring a hydrophobic, substantially nonporous support substrate with a surface reservoir to hold a spray solvent, allowing for improved electrospray stability and reduced solvent consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If paper-spray ionization is used, then sample preparation time is reduced, but hydrophilic compounds adhere to the paper support and cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the support substrate from hydrophilic (paper with hydroxyl groups) to hydrophobic (polymer material), which fundamentally alters the interaction with hydrophilic compounds. This parameter change enables the detection of hydrophilic compounds while maintaining the rapid sample preparation advantage of paper-spray ionization.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining a hydrophobic polymer support substrate with a hydrophilic coating layer. This composite material allows the support to be hydrophobic (preventing compound adhesion) while the coating layer provides hydrophilic properties (enabling compound interaction and detection).
2Reliability
If polymer-spray ionization is used, then hydrophilic compounds can be detected, but signal quality is poor with high variability and low sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface energy parameters of the polymer substrate by applying a hydrophilic coating, which improves the wettability and uniformity of sample distribution. This leads to more consistent electrospray formation and improved signal reproducibility and sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies a hydrophilic coating only to specific regions of the polymer substrate where sample deposition occurs. This local modification improves signal quality in the critical analysis region while maintaining the overall hydrophobic properties of the support substrate.
3Reliability
If conventional polymer-spray methods are used, then hydrophilic compounds can be analyzed, but large volumes of spray solvent are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a thin-film hydrophilic coating on the polymer substrate that efficiently facilitates solvent-sample interaction with minimal solvent volume. The thin film structure allows rapid solvent penetration and efficient analyte extraction, reducing the total solvent consumption compared to bulk polymer methods.
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 proposed sample support enables stable and sensitive detection of hydrophilic compounds and biofluids with improved reproducibility and reduced solvent use, overcoming limitations of conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
the support substrate is hydrophobic
Implementation Method 2
a reservoir on the surface of the support substrate and configured to hold a spray solvent
Implementation Method 3
a high voltage is applied to a liquid sample in a small-diameter capillary to generate an electrospray that results in the formation of analyte ions
Data Source
AI summary
A sample support for polymer-spray mass spectrometry includes a support substrate comprising a polymer. The support substrate is configured to support a sample on a surface of the support substrate. The sample support also includes a reservoir formed on the surface of the support substrate. The reservoir is configured to hold a spray solvent.