Surface Impact Ion Generator for Molecular Cluster Breakup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mass spectrometry techniques face challenges in efficiently converting non-volatile molecular constituents like oligosaccharides, peptides, and nucleic acids into gaseous ions, leading to low ionization efficiency and contamination due to large molecular clusters, which affect sensitivity and compatibility with chromatographic separation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing surface impact ionization, where samples are accelerated from high to low pressure, impacting a collision surface to mechanically disintegrate into gaseous molecular ions, enhanced by temperature and electrostatic potential, with collection in an ion funnel or ring electrode guide for high transmission efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If desorption ionization is used to ionize non-volatile constituents, then ionization of condensed phase samples is achieved, but sensitivity is low due to formation of large molecular clusters with low charging efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the large molecular clusters formed in desorption ionization into smaller charged particles through collision with a solid surface. This segmentation increases the surface area to volume ratio and enhances charging efficiency, converting low-sensitivity cluster ions into high-sensitivity small charged particles suitable for mass spectrometric analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a solid collision surface as an intermediary between the desorption ionization source and the mass spectrometer. This intermediary component facilitates the conversion of large molecular clusters into smaller charged particles through physical collision, thereby improving sensitivity without requiring modification of the ionization source itself
2Reliability
If spray ionization methods are used to achieve high ionization efficiency, then nearly 100% ionization can be achieved theoretically, but practical implementation produces considerable charged and neutral clusters that decrease ionization efficiency and contaminate mass spectrometric interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful charged and neutral clusters from the spray ionization process by introducing a collision surface that selectively fragments these clusters into smaller charged particles. This extraction removes the contaminating effect of large clusters while preserving the high ionization efficiency benefit of spray ionization
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of cluster formation into a beneficial process by using the collision surface to fragment these clusters. The clusters that would normally contaminate the interface are instead converted into smaller charged particles that are more suitable for mass spectrometric analysis, turning a disadvantage into an advantage
3Measurement precision
If nanoelectrospray is used to achieve very high ionization efficiency, then excellent ionization performance is achieved, but the method is limited to extremely low flow rates and cannot handle practical liquid chromatographic flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a universal interface that can handle both the extremely low flow rates required for nanoelectrospray and the higher flow rates used in practical liquid chromatography. The collision surface component can process charged particles across a wide range of flow rates, making the system adaptable to different analytical requirements without sacrificing ionization efficiency
4Productivity
If atmospheric interface with skimmer electrode and radio-frequency multi-pole ion guides is used, then up to 30% ion transmission efficiency is achieved, but the method does not solve the problem of contamination by larger molecular clusters
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary fragmentation of large molecular clusters before they enter the atmospheric interface components. By introducing the collision surface upstream, clusters are broken into smaller particles in advance, preventing them from contaminating the skimmer electrode and radio-frequency multi-pole ion guides while maintaining high ion transmission efficiency
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
This approach achieves significantly improved ionization efficiency, reduced contamination, and enhanced signal-to-noise ratios, allowing for efficient analysis of complex biological samples.
Implementation Method 1
samples are accelerated from high to low pressure, impacting a collision surface to mechanically disintegrate into gaseous molecular ions
Implementation Method 2
enhanced by temperature and electrostatic potential
Implementation Method 3
enhanced by temperature and electrostatic potential
Implementation Method 4
with collection in an ion funnel or ring electrode guide for high transmission efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for generating gaseous molecular ions for analysis by a mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer comprises accelerating a sample toward a solid surface, wherein accelerating said sample comprises driving said sample via a pressure gradient along a tubular opening through which said sample is introduced from an atmospheric pressure regime to a lower pressure regime of a spectrometer, and wherein said sample comprises an aerosol sample comprising one or more molecular particle clusters. The method comprises colliding said sample with said solid surface to disintegrate said one or more molecular particle clusters, thereby forming one or more gaseous molecular ions and neutral molecules, and collecting said gaseous molecular ions and directing said gaseous molecular ions to an analyzer unit.