Study of the efficiency for ion transfer through bent capillaries

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Ion Physics

Background:

• Discontinuous atmospheric pressure interfaces (DAPIs) are crucial for introducing ions into vacuum systems.
• Bent capillaries offer a flexible approach for ion transfer but their impact on efficiency is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of capillary bending on ion transfer efficiency using DAPIs.
• To characterize the performance of bent capillaries for both dry and solvated ions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic variation of capillary radius and curvature in DAPI setups.
• Characterization of ion transfer efficiency for different ion types (dry and solvated).

Main Results:

• Bent capillaries showed minimal efficiency loss (<1 order of magnitude) for dry ions, even with three turns.
• Transfer efficiency of solvated ions, generated via electrospray, was largely unaffected by capillary bending.
• Lower charge state multiply protonated ions maintained good transfer efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Bent capillaries are a viable and flexible option for ion introduction in mass analysis and gas-phase ion reactions.
• The DAPI system with bent capillaries demonstrates robustness for transferring various ion types, including solvated ions.