Ion Mobility Separations Using Cocentric Architecture.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Separation Science
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• Traditional linear ion mobility spectrometers require large footprints for high resolving power.
• Developing compact ion mobility devices is crucial for broader applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the performance of a novel curved ion mobility device, the concentric ion mobility spectrometer (CoCIMS).
• To evaluate the CoCIMS's resolving power and separation capabilities using different ion mixtures and traveling waveform profiles.

Main Methods:

• Ion trajectory simulations using SIMION were performed to assess circular ion paths.
• Experimental validation of the CoCIMS coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS).
• Testing with Agilent tune mixture, tetraalkylammonium salts, and an eight-peptide mixture using square, sine, triangle, and sawtooth traveling waveform profiles.

Main Results:

• Simulations indicated similar resolving power for circular vs. straight ion paths.
• The sawtooth traveling waveform profile yielded slightly higher resolving power for specific mixtures.
• Average resolving powers ranged from 27-56 depending on the mixture and waveform.
• The CoCIMS demonstrated an average percent error of 0.4% in TW-m/z for peptide mixtures.

Conclusions:

• The CoCIMS architecture provides a compact form factor for ion mobility separations.
• The device shows promising performance, particularly with the sawtooth traveling waveform.
• Further improvements are necessary to enhance the overall resolving power for advanced applications.