Feasibility of Higher-Order Differential Ion Mobility Separations Using New Asymmetric Waveforms

Journal Article · Thu Mar 02 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 110(8):2663-2673

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp055349t· OSTI ID:878252

Shvartsburg, Alexandre A; Mashkevich, Stefan V; Smith, Richard D

Technologies for separating and characterizing ions based on their transport properties in gases have been around for three decades. The early method of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) distinguished ions by absolute mobility that depends on the collision cross section with buffer gas atoms. The more recent technique of field asymmetric waveform IMS (FAIMS) measures the difference between mobilities at high and low electric fields. Coupling IMS and FAIMS to soft ionization sources and mass spectrometry (MS) has greatly expanded their utility, enabling new applications in biomedical and nanomaterials research. Here, we show that time-dependent electric fields comprising more than two intensity levels could, in principle, effect an infinite number of distinct differential separations based on the higher-order terms of expression for ion mobility. These analyses could employ the hardware and operational procedures similar to those utilized in FAIMS. Methods up to the 4th or 5th order (where conventional IMS is 1st order and FAIMS is 2nd order) should be practical at field intensities accessible in ambient air, with still higher orders potentially achievable in insulating gases. Available experimental data suggest that higher-order separations should be largely orthogonal to each other and to FAIMS, IMS, and MS.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 878252
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-45720; 20496; 400412000
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 110(8):2663-2673, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 110(8):2663-2673 Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 110
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ELECTRIC FIELDS
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
GAS ANALYSIS
ION MOBILITY
IONIZATION
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
SEPARATION PROCESSES