Investigating Electrosprayed Droplets Using Particle-into-Liquid Sampling for Nanoliter Electrochemical Reactions

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Electrospray ionization (ESI) is crucial for mass spectrometry, but droplet breakup and ion charging mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
• Existing research highlights the need for advanced techniques to probe the dynamics of electrospray processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel method for analyzing electrosprayed particles using particle-into-liquid sampling for nanoliter electrochemical reactions (PILSNER).
• To detect and quantify charges on individual electrosprayed droplets, contributing to a deeper understanding of ESI.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a modified particle-into-liquid sampling for nanoliter electrochemical reactions (PILSNER) technique.
• Employed a commercially available potentiostat for simple electrochemical analysis.
• Incorporated a fluorescent proxy for estimating the number of charges on electrosprayed droplets.

Main Results:

• Successfully detected charges on electrosprayed droplets using the PILSNER method.
• Enabled estimation of the number of charges on individual droplets.
• Demonstrated the utility of PILSNER for probing ESI droplet characteristics.

Conclusions:

• The developed PILSNER-based technique offers a new analytical tool for studying electrospray ionization.
• This method provides insights into droplet charge dynamics, crucial for optimizing ESI applications.
• Further research using this technique can elucidate complex phenomena in droplet generation and ion formation.