US 12,340,998 B2
Condensed liquid aerosol particle spray (CLAPS)—a novel on-line liquid aerosol sampling and ionization technique
Gary L. Glish, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Nathaneal A. Park, Chapel Hill, NC (US); and Kenneth D. Swanson, Dunwoody, GA (US)
Assigned to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC (US)
Filed by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC (US)
Filed on Nov. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/070,824.
Application 18/070,824 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2021/034915, filed on May 28, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/031,871, filed on May 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0162966 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 49/00 (2006.01); H01J 49/04 (2006.01); H01J 49/16 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 49/167 (2013.01) [H01J 49/0422 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for ionizing one or more analytes in a sample, the system comprising:
an aerosol source configured to generate aerosol particles containing the one or more analytes contained in the sample; and
an emitter comprising an inner capillary and an outer capillary, the outer capillary being arranged about the inner capillary and forming an orifice of the emitter at a terminal end of the emitter;
wherein the outer capillary is configured to receive the aerosol particles within a space defined between the inner capillary and the outer capillary of the emitter;
wherein the outer capillary is configured such that the aerosol particles condense against an inner surface of the outer capillary and/or an outer surface of the inner capillary to form a condensate liquid sample, which flows towards a terminal end of the outer capillary to form a reservoir of the condensate liquid sample at the orifice of the emitter, between a terminal end of the inner capillary and the orifice of the emitter;
wherein the emitter is configured to receive within the inner capillary a nebulizing gas, which flows towards the terminal end of the inner capillary;
wherein an electrical potential is applied between the emitter and an inlet of a sample analyzer; and
wherein the system is configured to generate an electrospray plume of electrically charged analyte particles using the nebulizing gas, a pressure at which the aerosol particles are supplied to the space between the inner capillary and the outer capillary, and the electrical potential.