Ambient Ion Focusing and Continuous Atmospheric Pressure Introduction of Ions into a Miniature Mass Spectrometer
A novel component enables mass spectrometers to load and analyze samples at atmospheric pressure with reduced power consumption, improving mobility and integration with existing equipment.
The reduction to practice of a mass spectrometer began in the late 19th century. By 1958, the machines had evolved to a point where amino acids and peptides structures could be roughly analyzed. As scientists began to understand the varied applications that could be applied, mass spectrometers began appearing in operating rooms, outer space, and many scientific laboratories studying pharmacology, proteomics, metabolomics, glycans, atoms, and gas samples. During its evolution, the mass spectrometer grew bigger and more complex. Starting in the late 1990s and early 2000s, scientists began to construct smaller mass spectrometers for easy sample collection in hospitals and developing countries. Due to the nature of loading a sample in the machine and converting it into ions, the current equipment requires a vacuum, pump, and large amount of energy to maintain pressure and move the ions through the chambers into the analyzer. Changes to components on the mass spectrometer will create a more advantageous power-to-pump ratio, but will reduce the transfer efficiency of the ions through the chambers. Smaller, mobile mass spectrometers require a novel ion loading mechanism for improved integration into varying environments.
Purdue University researchers have developed a device that can produce and focus a stream of ions into a mass spectrometer at atmospheric pressure or higher. This new component works with existing mass spectrometers, reduces the amount of power required to load and analyze a sample, and will not hinder the mobility of a small mass spectrometer.
Advantages:
-Produce and focus a steam of ions at atmosphere pressure or higher
-Works with existing mass spectrometers
-Uses less power
-Does not hinder mobility of small mass spectrometers
Potential Applications:
-Laboratories
-Mass Spectrometer Manufacturers
TRL: 4
Intellectual Property:
Provisional-Patent, 2012-06-06, United States | PCT-Patent, 2013-05-16, WO | NATL-Patent, 2014-10-10, United States | CON-Patent, 2015-11-09, United States | CON-Patent, 2017-01-17, United States | CON-Patent, 2018-06-05, United States | CON-Gov. Funding, 2020-02-27, United States | CON-Gov. Funding, 2020-08-07, United States | CON-Gov. Funding, 2021-01-14, United States | CON-Patent, 2022-07-08, United States | CON-Gov. Funding, 2023-04-14, United States | CON-Gov. Funding, 2023-11-28, United States | CON-Patent, 2025-09-02, United States | Provisional-Patent, N/A, WO
Keywords: mass spectrometer, ion stream, atmospheric pressure, novel ion loading, reduced power, mobile mass spectrometer, existing mass spectrometers, ion loading mechanism, analytical chemistry, reduced vacuum requirement, Biomedical Engineering, Mass Spectrometry