The disclosed solution comprises an injection subassembly that includes a nicked alignment tube, a spray needle, and a conducting liquid tube. The nicked alignment tube has a nick near one end. The spray needle is fused within the nicked end of the nicked alignment tube and the fused spray needle and nicked alignment tube are inserted into the conducting liquid tube, where the nicked alignment tube aligns the spray needle coaxially within the conducting liquid tube. The nick and the entry end of the spray needle are positioned within the conducting liquid tube and the exit end of the spray needle extends out of the conducting liquid tube. The nick allows a conducting liquid to flow from the conducting liquid tube to within the nicked alignment tube and the spray needle. Also disclosed are a unitary optical-ESI system equipped with the injection subassembly and a method for using the same.

An electrospray apparatus including a plurality of emitters, disposed on a substrate, wherein the plurality of emitters can have a narrow parameter distribution.

In order to improve the ionization efficiency and ion collection efficiency in an ESI ion source to achieve a higher level of analysis sensitivity while improving the throughput of the analysis, one mode of the present invention provides an ion analyzer equipped with an ion source employing an electrospray ionization method, where the ion source (2) includes: a plurality of capillaries (211-218) configured to spray a supplied liquid sample in the same direction; one or more auxiliary electrodes (23, 231-328) arranged so as to be surrounded by the plurality of capillaries; and a voltage supplier (24) configured to apply, to the plurality of capillaries, a DC high voltage for which the potential of the one or more auxiliary electrodes is used as a reference.

An electrospray generator includes a first electrode, a reservoir of liquid adjacent the first electrode, at least one wick having one end in the reservoir in contact with the liquid, a second electrode spaced a distance away from the wick, and a power source connected to one or more of the first and second electrodes. A method of generating a spray including inserting first ends of one or more wicks into a reservoir of liquid, the reservoir having a base electrode adjacent the liquid, positioning one or more offset electrodes at distance from second ends of the one or more wicks, and applying a voltage to at least one of the base electrode and the one or more offset electrodes to create an electric field, the electric field causing the liquid to move through the one or more wicks and form droplets in a spray.

Devices and methods for characterization of analyte mixtures are provided. Some methods described herein include performing enrichment steps on a device before expelling enriched analyte fractions from the device for subsequent analysis. Also included are devices for performing these enrichment steps.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for quantifying an analyte extracted from a sample. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods that involve introducing a solvent into a capillary, introducing the capillary into a vessel including a sample such that a portion of the sample is introduced into the capillary, moving the sample and the solvent within the capillary to induce circulation within the sample and the solvent, thereby causing the analyte to be extracted from the sample and into the solvent, analyzing the analyte that has been extracted from the sample, and quantifying the analyte. In certain embodiments, the quantifying step is performed without knowledge of a volume of the sample and/or solvent.

An ion pulse generator (100) includes a triboelectric generator (110), an ion emitter (132) and a conductive surface (134). The triboelectric generator (110) includes a first electrode (114), a spaced apart second electrode (120) and a first triboelectric layer (116). The triboelectric generator (110) generates a predetermined amount of charge as a result of relative movement of the first triboelectric layer (116). The ion emitter (132) is electrically coupled to the first electrode (114). The conductive surface (134) is electrically coupled to the second electrode (120) and is spaced apart from the ion emitter (132) at a predetermined distance. Generation of the predetermined amount of charge causes formation of ions between the ion emitter (132) and the conductive surface (134).

The invention generally relates to ion generation using modified wetted porous materials. In certain aspects, the invention generally relates to systems and methods for ion generation using a wetted porous substrate that substantially prevents diffusion of sample into the substrate. In other aspects, the invention generally relate to ion generation using a wetted porous material and a drying agent. In other aspects, the invention generally relates to ion generation using a modified wetted porous substrate in which at least a portion of the porous substrate includes a material that modifies an interaction between a sample and the substrate.

Methods, systems and devices that allow independently applied pressures to a BGE reservoir and a sample reservoir for pressure-driven injection that can inject a discrete sample plug into a separation channel that does not require voltage applied to the sample reservoir and can allow for in-channel focusing methods to be used. The methods, systems and devices are particularly suitable for use with a mass spectrometer.

Disclosed are native liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry systems and methods of use. A native liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system can include a liquid chromatography system capable of separating a sample; and an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) system in fluid communication with the liquid chromatography system, wherein the ESI-MS system comprises a multi-nozzle electrospray ionization emitter and a system for modifying a desolvation gas and a mass spectrometer, wherein the mass spectrometer is configured to receive ions and characterize mass to charge ratio of ions.