Electrospray ionizer for mass spectrometry of aerosol particles
US9768005B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 2016 |
| Grant date | Sep 19, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 21, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J49/40
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A device and method are disclosed to apply ESI-based mass spectroscopy to submicrometer and nanometer scale aerosol particles. Unipolar ionization is utilized to charge the particles in order to collect them electrostatically on the tip of a tungsten rod. Subsequently, the species composing the collected particles are dissolved by making a liquid flow over the tungsten rod. This liquid with dissolved aerosol contents is formed into highly charged droplets, which release unfragmented ions for mass spectroscopy, such as time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. The device is configured to operate in a switching mode, wherein aerosol deposition occurs while solvent delivery is turned off and vice versa.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.