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Microstructured photonic fibers as multichannel electrospray emitters
Shuqin Su1, Graham T T Gibson, Samuel M Mugo
1Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.
Analytical Chemistry
|September 1, 2009
Summary
Novel microstructured fiber (MSF) emitters enable stable electrospray for diverse solutions. These multichannel MSF devices enhance throughput and robustness, overcoming clogging issues in micro/nanoelectrospray applications.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Electrospray ionization is a crucial technique in mass spectrometry and chromatography.
- Conventional emitters face challenges with stability, clogging, and handling diverse sample matrices.
- Microstructured fibers offer potential for novel emitter designs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize novel multichannel electrospray emitters based on silica microstructured fibers (MSFs).
- To evaluate the performance of MSF emitters in terms of stability, flow rate range, and robustness to clogging.
- To demonstrate the applicability of MSF emitters for spraying challenging solutions, including highly aqueous and concentrated salt solutions.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of silica-based microstructured fibers with multiple fluidic channels (30-168 channels, 5 µm diameter).
- Assembly of MSFs into a 2D emitting array for electrospray.
- Modification of the emitting surface with chlorotrimethylsilane for enhanced hydrophobicity.
- Testing electrospray stability across a range of flow rates (10-1000 nL/min) and solution compositions (highly aqueous, high salt concentrations).
Main Results:
- Stable electrospray was achieved from microspray (1000 nL/min) to nanoelectrospray (10 nL/min) regimes.
- MSF emitters exhibited negligible flow-induced backpressures.
- Hydrophobic surface modification significantly enhanced electrospray stability for highly aqueous solutions.
- Emitters demonstrated robustness against clogging when spraying concentrated salt solutions, improving operational throughput.
Conclusions:
- Multichannel MSF emitters represent a significant advancement for electrospray applications.
- These emitters offer enhanced stability, a wide operational flow rate range, and improved resistance to clogging.
- The developed MSF emitters are suitable for handling challenging sample types, increasing analytical efficiency and reliability.
