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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Generation and Control of Electrohydrodynamic Flows in Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions
Published on: September 7, 2018
Pulsation modes and the effect of applied voltage on current and flow rate in nanoelectrospray
Matthew S Alexander1, Mark D Paine, John P W Stark
1Department of Engineering, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK. m.s.alexander@qmul.ac.uk
Abstract:
New modes of nanoelectrospray (nES) have been identified that exhibit stable high-frequency current oscillations in the kilohertz range. In-line flow rate measurements during nES have for the first time allowed the accurate determination of the spray current and volumetric flow rate dependence on applied voltage. High-speed video imaging has revealed that each current pulse corresponds to the periodic formation of a short-lived stable cone-jet structure at the capillary tip. These findings are of particular importance and suggest greater process monitoring and control in nES-MS systems is necessary if efficiency and ion yield are to be optimized.
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