Salt Matrix Research Articles

Quantitative prediction of rare earth concentrations in salt matrices using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for application to molten salt reactors and pyroprocessing

Pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuels is an electrochemical separation method where spent metallic fuel is dissolved in a molten salt bath to allow uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) to be isolated from fission products (FPs) and other impurities.

Biocompatible composite films and fibers based on Poly(Vinyl alcohol) and powders of calcium salts

A method for obtaining composite biodegradable materials in the form of films and fibers, based on hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix and synthetic nanopowders of calcium salts containing phosphate and/or carbonate anions, was proposed. The phase composition of fillers previously synthesized from Ca(CH3COO)2·H2O, (NH4)2HPO4 and/or (NH4)2CO3 aqueous solutions at a chosen ratio of components was represented by hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O), as well as calcite and vaterite polymorphs (CaCO3), all of which are known to be compatible with biological cells. Filled poly(vinyl alcohol)-based nanofibers with the wide thickness range of approximately 190–530 ​nm were manufactured from composite suspensions by bottom-up type of electrospinning. The addition of calcium carbonate to the suspension with a particle filling degree of 20% showed a significant reduction in operating voltages (from 42 ​kV to 28 ​kV) during electrospinning process and, as a result, facilitated stable fiber formation. According to the microscopy data, the average size of inorganic inclusions did not exceed 5 ​μm for fibrous materials, while the particle size of calcium phosphate fillers in films obtained by casting into polystyrene molds, was characterized by larger values (up to 40 ​μm) due to intensive crystallization process on film surfaces. The biocompatible phase composition and structural features, including surface roughness and special particle morphology, ensures a potential application of the studied materials as filled scaffolds for the multipotent stromal cells cultivation in bone tissue engineering.

Using molten salts to probe outer-coordination sphere effects on lanthanide(III)/(II) electron-transfer reactions.

Controlling structure and reactivity by manipulating the outer-coordination sphere around a given reagent represents a longstanding challenge in chemistry. Despite advances toward solving this problem, it remains difficult to experimentally interrogate and characterize outer-coordination sphere impact. This work describes an alternative approach that quantifies outer-coordination sphere effects. It shows how molten salt metal chlorides (MCln; M = K, Na, n = 1; M = Ca, n = 2) provided excellent platforms for experimentally characterizing the influence of the outer-coordination sphere cations (Mn+) on redox reactions accessible to lanthanide ions; Ln3+ + e1- → Ln2+ (Ln = Eu, Yb, Sm; e1- = electron). As a representative example, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry results showed that Eu2+ instantaneously formed when Eu3+ dissolved in molten chloride salts that had strongly polarizing cations (like Ca2+ from CaCl2) via the Eu3+ + Cl1- → Eu2+ + ½Cl2 reaction. Conversely, molten salts with less polarizing outer-sphere M1+ cations (e.g., K1+ in KCl) stabilized Ln3+. For instance, the Eu3+/Eu2+ reduction potential was >0.5 V more positive in CaCl2 than in KCl. In accordance with first-principle molecular dynamics (FPMD) simulations, we postulated that hard Mn+ cations (high polarization power) inductively removed electron density from Lnn+ across Ln-Cl⋯Mn+ networks and stabilized electron-rich and low oxidation state Ln2+ ions. Conversely, less polarizing Mn+ cations (like K1+) left electron density on Lnn+ and stabilized electron-deficient and high-oxidation state Ln3+ ions.

Comparative performance and mechanism of bacterial inactivation induced by metal-free modified g-C3N4 under visible light: Escherichia coli versus Staphylococcus aureus

The inactivation mechanism of pathogenic microorganisms in water needs to be comprehensively explored in order to better guide the development of an effective and green disinfection method for drinking water safety. Here, metal-free modified g-C3N4 was prepared and used to inactivate two typical bacteria (namely, Gram-positive E. coli and Gram-negative S. aureus) in water under visible light from a comparative perspective. These two bacteria could be inactivated in the presence of modified g-C3N4 within 6 h of visible light, but their inactivation kinetics were quite different. E. coli were inactivated slowly in the early disinfection stage and rapidly in the later disinfection stage, whereas S. aureus were inactivated steadily during the entire disinfection process. Moreover, the impacts of important water parameters (pH, salt, temperature, and water matrix) on photocatalytic inactivation of E. coli and S. aureus were also distinct. In addition, scavenger experiments indicated that superoxide radicals played the most important role in E. coli inactivation, while both superoxide and hydroxyl radicals were important for S. aureus inactivation. Quantitative changes in fatty acids, potassium ions, proteins and DNA of the bacterial suspensions suggested that the higher resistance of E. coli in the early inactivation stage could be originated from the difference in the phospholipid repair system in cell membrane structures. This study can provide new insights into research and development of a safe and effective disinfection technology for drinking water.

Synthesis and Characterization of Molten Salt Nanofluids for Thermal Energy Storage Application in Concentrated Solar Power Plants-Mechanistic Understanding of Specific Heat Capacity Enhancement.

Molten salts mixed with nanoparticles have been shown as a promising candidate as the thermal energy storage (TES) material in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. However, the conventional method used to prepare molten salt nanofluid suffers from a high material cost, intensive energy use, and laborious process. In this study, solar salt-Al2O3 nanofluids at three different concentrations are prepared by a one-step method in which the oxide nanoparticles are generated in the salt melt directly from precursors. The morphologies of the obtained nanomaterials are examined under scanning electron microscopy and the specific heat capacities are measured using the temperature history (T-history) method. A non-linear enhancement in the specific heat capacity of molten salt nanofluid is observed from the thermal characterization at a nanoparticle mass concentration of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%. In particular, a maximum enhancement of 38.7% in specific heat is found for the nanofluid sample prepared with a target nanoparticle mass fraction of 1.0%. Such an enhancement trend is attributed to the formation of secondary nanostructure between the alumina nanoparticles in the molten salt matrix following a locally-dispersed-parcel pattern. These findings provide new insights to understanding the enhanced energy storage capacity of molten salt nanofluids.

What is specific in adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids on carbon materials?

Various activated carbon products show wide variability in adsorption performance towards perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and predictive tools are largely missing. In order to gain a better understanding on the adsorption mechanisms of PFAAs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was compared with its fluorine-free analogon octanoic acid (OCA) as well as phenanthrene (nonionic) in terms of their response towards changes in carbon surface chemistry. For this approach, a commercial activated carbon felt (ACF) with high content of acidic surface groups was modified by amino-functionalisation as well as thermal defunctionalisation in H2 (yielding DeCACF). While improvement by amino-functionalisation was moderate, defunctionalisation drastically enhanced adsorption of PFOA and other PFAAs. In comparison, OCA and phenanthrene were much less affected. Electrostatic interactions and charge compensation provided by positively charged surface sites (quantified by their anion exchange capacity) are obviously more crucial for PFAAs than for common organic acids (such as the tested OCA). A possible reason is their exceptionally strong acidity with pKa < 1. Nevertheless, at the best modified ACF material (DeCACF) the sorption coefficients (Kd) for PFOA and perfluorooctylsulfonic acid (PFOS) at environmentally relevant concentrations reach the range of 107 L/kg which is outstanding. DeCACF provides a surface with overall low polarity (low O-content), low density of acidic sites causing electrostatic repulsion, but nevertheless a sufficient density of charge-balancing sites for organic anions. The results of the present study contribute to an optimized selection of adsorbents for PFAA adsorption from water considering also various salt matrices and the presence of natural organic matter.

Designing, Preparation, and Evaluation of Orodispersible Chitosan Anionic Salt Tablets

Oral dispersible tablets (ODTs) are promising pharmaceutical dosage forms and, theoretically, could be used for many active pharmaceutical ingredients. The development of ODTs by direct compression with rapid disintegration and suitable hardness is a formulation challenge. The hypothesis of the present work is to prepare a single super-disintegrant multifunctional excipient for the production of ODTs. A single multifunctional tablet component was prepared by crosslinking of chitosan-hydrochloride (CS-H) using multivalent anionic salts, such as carbonate, phosphate, and sulfate. An optimized tablet characteristic concerning the disintegration time (DT) and the compaction properties is obtained utilizing the response surface methodology (RSM). The DT and elastic ratio (ER) were used as responses, and two other factors were studied, i.e., concentration of anions (Csa) and compression pressure (Pc). The obtained crosslinked chitosan anionic salt powders were also characterized in terms of chemical interaction, flowability, moisture uptake, water sorption, and release behavior of an incorporated chemically reactive model drug (ibuprofen lysinate). Based on RSM, the optimal concentrations of chitosan phosphate and chitosan sulfate (as %) were 61.14, 60.89, and 64.65, respectively. The optimal compression pressures (in Mpa) of chitosan carbonate, phosphate, and sulfate were 107.02, 110.39, and 100, respectively. Moreover, 0.31, 0.15, and 0.47 (predicted elastic ratio) and 8, 17, and 2 (disintegration time, s) were obtained for chitosan carbonate, phosphate, and sulfate, respectively. The infrared spectroscopy and the differential scanning microscopy studies were used as tools to detect the interaction. Mean dissolution time was 20.5 min for chitosan hydrochloride compared with 6.9–8.52 for chitosan anionic salts, while the dissolution efficiency was 0.54 for chitosan compared with > 0.8 for chitosan anionic salts. Drug release was higher from chitosan anionic salt matrix systems compared with that of chitosan hydrochloride tablets. The RSM was successfully utilized to prepare optimized tablets using chitosan anionic salt as a single oral dispersible tablet excipient. These salts exhibited suitable physico-mechanical properties upon compaction with a concomitant super-disintegration ability. The chemical reactivity of chitosan hydrochloride against negatively charged molecules was dependent upon crosslinking with negatively charged anions as indicated by the release behavior of ibuprofen lysinate from the chitosan anionic salt matrix systems.

Simultaneous δ2 H and δ18 O analyses of water inclusions in halite with off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy.

Stable isotope compositions of ancient halite fluid inclusions have been recognized to be valuable tools for reconstructing past environments. Nevertheless, in order to better understand the genesis of halite deposits, it could be of great interest to combine both δ2 H and δ18 O measurements of the water trapped as inclusions in the defects of the mineral lattice. We developed a method combining off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) connected on line with a modified elemental analyzer (EA-OA-ICOS) to perform those measurements. The first step was to test the method with synthetic halite crystals precipitated in the laboratory from isotopically calibrated waters. Water isotopic signatures have been measured with conventional techniques, equilibration for δ18 O and chromium reduction for δ2 H. Then, we modified and optimized a conventional EA to connect it online with an OA-ICOS instrument for H2 O measurements. The technique is first evaluated for calibrated free water samples. The technique is also evaluated for salt matrix effect, accuracy, and linearity for both isotopic signatures. Then, the technique is used to measure simultaneously δ2 H and δ18 O values of halite water inclusions precipitated from the evaporation experiments. Data generated with this new technique appeared to be comparable with those inferred from prior off-line technique studies. The advantages offered by the OA-ICOS technique are the simultaneous acquisition of both isotopic ratios and the substantial reduction of data acquisition time and sample aliquot size. Natural halite samples have been analyzed with this method. Natural halite samples as old as Precambrian have also been analyzed with this method.

Application of a new HMW framework derived ANN model for optimization of aquatic dissolved organic matter removal by coagulation

Removing dissolved organic matter (DOM) with polyaluminium chloride is one of the primary goals of drinking water treatment. In this study, a new HMW framework was proposed, which divided the factors affecting coagulation into three parts consisting of hydraulic condition (H), metal salt (M), and background water matrix (W). In this framework, H, M and W were assumed to be interacted with each other and combined to determine coagulation efficiency. We investigated the feasibility of the framework to determine the treatment efficiency through mathematical models. Results showed that non-linear artificial neural network (ANN) model was a better fit to the experimental data than the linear partial least squares (PLS) model: the ANN model could explain 76% of the total variations while the PLS could only explain 71%. The PLS did not follow the variations of observed values adequately. These experiments showed that the interaction between the HMW framework components were not simple linear relationships. The ANN model was able to optimize the composition of the HMW framework improving the efficiency of DOM removal through the components of HMW such as velocity gradient (G value), coagulant dosage, solution pH, and background water matrix. Overall, HMW framework is a new classification of factors affecting coagulation, leading to a better understanding of the coagulation process and sensitivity to influencing variables.

Active antibacterial food coatings based on blends of succinyl chitosan and triazole betaine chitosan derivatives

Abstract In this work, we demonstrate that highly antibacterially active triazole betaine chitosan (TBC) component can be incorporated into succinyl chitosan sodium salt (SC-Na) matrix by simple mixing to afford quite compact and uniform films. Blending of SC-Na and TBC improves tensile strength and simultaneously diminishes oxygen and water vapor permeability of the formed blend films. These improvements are most pronounced for blend films with SC-Na:TBC ratio 1:1. Test applications of the blend films as food coatings for bananas reduced their weight loss, vitamin C loss, and respiration rate, and this resulted in a significantly extended shelf life of the coated bananas. Moreover, the prepared blend films are non-toxic since they are composed of non-toxic SC-Na and TBC. Finally, we demonstrate that the incorporation of TBC into the SC-Na matrix dramatically enhances the antibacterial activity of the blend coatings with a high TBC fraction (50 % and higher) and these results are among the best reported in the field of antibacterial films so far.

A novel electrophoretic immunoblot as antigen desorption and quantification method for alum-adjuvanted veterinary rabies vaccines

Rabies vaccines for domestic animals are adjuvanted with aluminum salts. A particular challenge for in-vitro batch potency tests with these products is the fact that the antigens are firmly adsorbed to the aluminum salt matrix and thus are not easily available for antigen quantification. In the current manuscript we describe a versatile technique to quantify antigens in aluminum adsorbed vaccine formulations. A combined electrophoretic desorption and blotting method is presented that transfers the antigens to a nitrocellulose membrane followed by an immunoblot quantification of the transferred rabies antigens. For the immunoblot a rabies G-protein specific, monoclonal antibody is used that by itself has neutralizing activity. This ensures that only relevant antigens are quantified. By comparing end products with non-adjuvanted in-process material it can be demonstrated that the antigens are quantitatively desorbed from the adjuvant matrix. Resuts of the new antigen quantification method were compared with the outcome of the serological batch potency test as described in the European Pharmacopoeia. It is demonstrated that the new antigen quantification method reveals relevant differences between experimental vaccine batches formulated with increasing antigen loads. This proves the broad detection range of the method. In general, the results show that this highly versatile technique can serve as an important component of a comprehensive consistency test strategy and may be applied in a modified form to any alum-adjuvanted vaccine.

Assessing the Dynamic Performance of Thermochemical Storage Materials

Thermochemical storage provides a volumetric and cost-efficient means of collecting energy from solar/waste heat in order to utilize it for space heating in another location. Equally important to the storage density, the dynamic thermal response dictates the power available which is critical to meet the varied demands of a practical space heating application. Using a laboratory scale reactor (127 cm3), an experimental study with salt in matrix (SIM) materials found that the reactor power response is primarily governed by the flow rate of moist air through the reactor and that creating salt with a higher salt fraction had minimal impact on the thermal response. The flowrate dictates the power profile of the reactor with an optimum value which balances moisture reactant delivery and reaction rate on the SIM. A mixed particle size produced the highest power (22 W) and peak thermal uplift (32 °C). A narrow particle range reduced the peak power and peak temperature as a result of lower packing densities of the SIM in the reactor. The scaled maximum power density which could be achieved is &gt;150 kW/m3, but achieving this would require optimization of the solid–moist air interactions.

High-sensitivity detection of therapeutic drugs in complex biofluids using a packed ballpoint-electrospray ionization technique.

A simple and sensitive C18 packed ballpoint-electrospray ionization (PBP-ESI) technique was developed for biofluid analysis. In this technique, the configuration of a commercial ballpoint consisting of a hollow chamber, an intermediate socket, and a metal ball was fully exploited. The rear-end hollow chamber was used for loading C18 adsorbent and sample, and the front metal ball served as a spray emitter for online ionization. The good electrical conductivity of the metal body allowed high voltage to be conveniently applied to the ballpoint without inserting the electrode into the solution for electrical connection. Urine sample was directly analyzed with the C18 packed ballpoint; plasma and whole blood samples were premixed with C18 adsorbent before being packed into the ballpoint for detection. As a result of the sample cleanup by C18 adsorbent, the salt matrix in the urine sample as well as the phospholipid and protein matrices in plasma and whole blood samples was significantly reduced. The lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) for urine, plasma, and whole blood samples reached the subnanogram-per-milliliter level. Graphical abstract.

Polymer-in-salt solid electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries

Solid-state polymer lithium-ion batteries with better safety and higher energy density are one of the most promising batteries, which are expected to power future electric vehicles and smart grids. However, the low ionic conductivity at room temperature of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) decelerates the entry of such batteries into the market. Creating polymer-in-salt solid electrolytes (PISSEs) where the lithium salt contents exceed 50[Formula: see text]wt.% is a viable technology to enhance ionic conductivity at room temperature of SPEs, which is also suitable for scalable production. In this review, we first clarify the structure and ionic conductivity mechanism of PISSEs by analyzing the interactions between lithium salt and polymer matrix. Then, the recent advances on polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based PISSEs and polycarbonate derivative-based PISSEs will be reviewed. Finally, we propose possible directions and opportunities to accelerate the commercializing of PISSEs for solid polymer Li-ion batteries.

Exploring LIBS for simultaneous estimation of Sr, Ba and La in LiCl-KCl salt

In this work, we report the simultaneous estimation of Sr, Ba and La in LiCl-KCl salt using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The samples are prepared in aqueous medium and the solution is spread over a filter paper. The laser (532 nm) is focussed on the paper to produce plasma in air at atmospheric pressure. Using Yb (369.42 nm) as an internal standard, linear calibration curves are obtained from 50−800 ppm for Sr (421.55 nm), 50−1000 ppm for Ba (455.40 nm) and 300−4000 ppm for La (394.91 nm) with a detection limit of 21, 19 and 68 ppm, respectively in 12.5 % salt matrix. Salt effect on LIBS intensity is studied and found to be negligible over 5–20 % of salt. Low value of correlation uncertainty (5–11 %) illustrates that LIBS technique has a great potential for monitoring the quality of pyro-processing salt.

Electrodialysis as a sample processing tool for bulk organic matter and target pollutant analysis of seawater

Electrodialysis (ED) is an advancing seawater sample processing tool that enables the separation of analytes from the often interfering salt matrix. In this study, we present the evaluation of a laboratory scale ED system for both dissolved organic matter (DOM) and target pollutant analysis of seawater.The developed sample processing protocol yields reproducible data and was found to be robust towards moderate changes in sample composition. At the final salinity of 0.1, the average recovery of DOM in the form of dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (DOC, DON and DOP) was 44, 53 and 89%, respectively. DOM loss occurred mainly in the late stage of the ED process.When investigating specific ED processing parameters, it was discovered that the initial sample salinity does not influence DOM recovery. The final salinity, by contrast, is a dominant influence factor on DOM recovery. Furthermore, DOC and DOP recoveries could be improved by 8% by refining the electrical current in the ED cell. Surprisingly, adjustments of the sample pH did not lead to any improvements in DOM recovery.The experiments with target analytes showed that the recovery of individual molecules is determined by their n-octanol water partition coefficients logKow. High recoveries > 80% were achieved for compounds with medium logKow of −1 to 3. Hydrophobic compounds with logKow > 3 were lost through surface adsorption to the system walls and tubing. Small, polar and charged compounds with logKow < −1 are prone to loss via ED membrane passage, which occurred predominantly in the late stage of the ED process. Consequently, sample processing with ED was deemed beneficial for the LC-MS or GC–MS analysis of polar target compounds, because they are often difficult to enrich from seawater. Furthermore, during LC-MS or GC–MS analyses, matrix-dependent ion suppression was reduced in ED isolates, giving rise to increased signal responses of 25 to 620%, which resulted in improved instrumental sensitivity.

Green Synthesis of Size-Tunable Iron Oxides and Iron Nanoparticles in a Salt Matrix

This research is devoted for the synthesis of Fe oxide and Fe nanoparticles (NPs) via, respectively, thermal decomposition of iron(III) oleate and H2 reduction of either iron(III) oleate or iron oxide NPs in a NaCl matrix. Lowering the weight ratios of metal precursor to NaCl and synthesis temperature results in smaller particle sizes. A higher uniformity of Fe NPs can be achieved with a two-step synthesis, that is, thermal decomposition of iron oleate followed by H2 reduction of iron oxides, with the milling of iron oxides and NaCl prior to the reduction step. Fe NPs obtained in this study are stable in the air for long-time storage. It is found that thin oxide and C layers on the particle surface are responsible for their stability.

Determining conventional and unconventional oil and gas well brines in natural sample II: Cation analyses with ICP-MS and ICP-OES

Flowback and produced water generated by the hydraulic fracturing of unconventional oil and gas plays contain a suite of cations (e.g., metals) typically in a high salt (e.g., NaCl) matrix. Here, we analyzed the chemical (cation) composition of production fluids associated with natural gas and oil development (e.g., flowback, produced water, impoundment fluids), along with mine drainage, and surface and ground water samples using ICP-OES and ICP-MS. ICP-MS and ICP-OES analytical performance and interference effects were evaluated. Both platforms exhibited excellent analytical spike recoveries, detection limits for blank and spiked solutions, and accuracy for standard certified reference materials. Mass ratio analyses using Ca/Sr, Ca/Mg, Ba/Sr, Mg/Sr, and B and Li, were assessed for their efficacy in differentiation among brines from conventional oil wells, produced water from unconventional oil and gas wells and impoundments, mine drainage treatment pond water, groundwater, and surface water. Examination of Mg/Sr ratios when compared with Li concentrations provide clear separation among the different types of samples, while Ca/Mg versus Ca/Sr correlations were useful for distinguishing between conventional and unconventional oil and gas fluids.

Effervescent salt and crown ether-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction of coumarins from Cortex fraxini

A simple, rapid and environmentally friendly method named effervescence-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion (EA-MSPD) was investigated for the extraction of four coumarins (esculin, esculetin, fraxin and fraxetin) from Crotex fraxini (C. fraxini). In this study, an effervescent tablet containing carbon dioxide sources (100 mg sodium bicarbonate and 200 mg sodium dihydrogenphosphate) and an adsorbent (25 mg benzo-15-crown-5) was prepared. The effervescent tablet was dissolved into an aqueous solution, and as a consequence of the effervescence reaction, carbon dioxide was generated, thus making the sample better a dispersion of the extraction solvent (100 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate). The variables that influenced the extraction efficiency included effervescent salts, extraction solvents and crown ether. These values were represented using ultra- high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Good linearity was exhibited by coefficients of determination all equal to 1, limits of detection ranging from 1.62 to 3.83 ng·mL−1 and limits of quantification ranging from 5.39 to 12.76 ng·mL−1. The recoveries ranged from 91.37 to 100.29% with relative standard deviations of 0.57–4.58% under optimized conditions. In this work, the proposed EA-MSPD method was successfully applied to extract and identify four coumarins in C. fraxini. Compared with previously reported methods, the method examined herein was faster, greener and more sensitive.

Combining Salt Doping and Matrix Sublimation for High Spatial Resolution MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry of Neutral Lipids.

The combination of sodium salt doping of a tissue section along with the sublimation of the matrix 2,5-dihydrobenzoic acid (DHB) was found to be an effective coating for the simultaneous detection of neutral lipids and phospholipids using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry in positive ionization mode. Lithium, sodium, and potassium acetate were initially screened for their ability to cationize difficult to analyze neutral lipids such as cholesterol esters, cerebrosides, and triglycerides directly from a tissue section. The combination of sodium salt and DHB sublimation was found to be an effective cation/matrix combination for detection of neutral lipids. Further experimental optimizations revealed that sodium carbonate or sodium phosphate followed by DHB sublimation increases the signal intensity of the neutral lipids studied depending on the specific lipid family and tissue type by 10-fold to 140-fold compared with that of previously published methods. Application of sodium carbonate tissue doping and DHB sublimation resulted in crystal sizes ≤2 μm. We were thus able to image a mouse brain cerebellum at a high spatial resolution and detected 37 cerebrosides in a single run using a MALDI-TOF instrument. The combination of sodium doping and DHB sublimation offer a targeted and sensitive approach for the detection of neutral lipids that do not typically ionize well under normal MALDI conditions.