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Related Experiment Videos

Ion Separation in Air Using a Three-Dimensional Printed Ion Mobility Spectrometer.

Adam Hollerbach1, Zane Baird, R Graham Cooks1

  • 1Chemistry Department, Purdue University , 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.

Analytical Chemistry
|April 7, 2017
PubMed
Summary

This study details a 3D-printed drift tube ion mobility spectrometer (DT-IMS) that operates cost-effectively in ambient conditions. The 3D-printed DT-IMS achieves competitive performance for detecting various chemical compounds without a counter gas flow.

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Area of Science:

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Spectroscopy
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Conventional ion mobility spectrometers (IMS) often require specialized manufacturing and controlled environments.
  • Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers a potential pathway for rapid, low-cost instrument fabrication.
  • Open-air, ambient condition operation is desirable for portable and field-deployable analytical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the performance of a novel, 3D-printed drift tube ion mobility spectrometer (DT-IMS).
  • To evaluate the feasibility of using 3D printing for constructing IMS instruments.
  • To assess the instrument's capabilities in detecting various analytes under ambient conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of IMS housing and electrodes using 3D printing with polylactic acid (PLA) and conductive PETG-CNT.

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  • Utilized ring electrodes designed to optimize ion transmission while minimizing neutral species.
  • Performance evaluation through positive and negative ion mode analyses of standard compounds and illicit drugs.

    • Main Results:

    • Achieved resolving powers of 24–50 (positive mode) and 29–42 (negative mode) for various analytes.
    • Successfully measured reduced ion mobilities of tetraalkylammonium cations under ambient humidity.
    • Demonstrated the instrument's ability to operate effectively in open air without a counter gas flow.

    Conclusions:

    • 3D printing is a viable and cost-effective method for producing high-performance IMS instruments.
    • The developed 3D-printed DT-IMS demonstrates competitive analytical capabilities compared to conventional devices.
    • The absence of a counter gas flow simplifies operation and enhances portability for open-air applications.