Ultrasonic Nozzle Research Articles

Efficiency and Interference Verification of a HONO Collection System Using an Ultrasonic Nozzle Coupled with a Recirculating Spray Chamber for Ambient Air Monitoring

Efficiency and Interference Verification of a HONO Collection System Using an Ultrasonic Nozzle Coupled with a Recirculating Spray Chamber for Ambient Air Monitoring

Machinability improvement of titanium alloy in face grinding by ultrasonic assisted jet plasma oxidation

A novel machining technology, namely ultrasonic assisted jet plasma oxidation modification face grinding (UAJPMG), was proposed to improve the machinability of the titanium alloy, in which the titanium alloy materials are modified by plasma oxidation followed by face grinding. This paper introduced the processing principle of UAJPMG and the design of an ultrasonic jet nozzle to promote plasma oxidation. Using the ultrasonic jet nozzle produced in-house, the effect of the ultrasonic vibration on the plasma intensity was experimentally investigated. The results revealed that the application of ultrasonic vibration can diminish the thickness of the gas film by elevating the jet flow rate, thereby reducing the generation delay time and enhancing the plasma intensity. Subsequently, a scratch test was performed to assess the difference in the mechanical strength between the plasma oxide layer and the titanium alloy substrate. It was found that the plasma oxide layer with a reduced mechanical strength exhibited a deeper scratch depth under the same normal load. Based on these, the machining performance under different conditions was examined considering the removed material of the abrasive grains. Compared with the removed material was Ti-6Al-4V substrate in conventional face grinding, the ultrasonic assisted plasma oxidized material can inhibit the chip adhesion on the wheel working surface, resulting in a reduction of the grinding force and the surface roughness and an improvement of the groove shape accuracy. The novel machining technology, i.e., UAJPMG, proposed in this paper might provide a new approach for the precision machining of critical components made from titanium alloy.

Preliminary study of the electrospray DPE peculiarities from the liquid surface in the presence of the CSWs

The Ultrasonic Electric Propulsion (UEP) system is a cutting-edge propulsion technology that is mostly used on platforms for small satellites (less than 10 kg). The characteristics of droplet partial emissions (DPEs) in the UEP system are investigated using a high-speed imaging technique (an ultra-high speed camera (NAC HX-6) and a long-distance microscope) in this work. The experiments demonstrate that there are a few partial emission modes, including left-side emission, double-side emission, and right-side emission, that are present in the droplet emission process of the UEP system. These modes are primarily caused by the partial formation of capillary standing waves (CSWs) on the emission surface of the ultrasonic nozzle. The emission rate for single- and double-sided emissions varies at different times, indicating that there are different CSWs engaged in droplet emission due to variations in the liquid film thickness and charge state of the liquid cones. Additionally, as the droplets emit continuously, a raised area on the emission surface appears, with several droplets emitting there as a result of charge accumulation. Additionally, photos of the CSWs with emitting droplets are obtained, which highlights the CSWs’ distinctive wave morphology.

Generation of effective pulsed waterjets by ultrasonic nozzle used for energy exploration

Pulsed waterjet has higher energy efficiency ratio and less energy consumption than a continuous waterjet. To achieve more effective and powerful pulsed waterjets, a new ultrasonic nozzle with more compact structure and less energy loss was developed. By designing a hollow flow channel in the piezoelectric ceramic stack and the amplifier, the nozzle enables axial water inlet and avoids energy loss at the turnaround point. The resonant frequency of the ultrasonic nozzle was validated as 19227 Hz by modal analysis and impedance test, which is a deviation of 3.87% compared with the expected frequency of 20000 Hz. Besides, the pulse characteristics of modulated waterjet were analyzed experimentally by high-speed photography. The pulsed waterjet presented obvious periodic pulses and good clustering, and water slugs of "mushroom" shape can be clearly observed. The difference between the waterjet velocity and the theoretical value is less than 7.7%. And the pulse frequency of the modulated waterjet reaches about 19485.1 Hz, with a deviation of 1.3% compared with the nozzle resonant frequency of 19227 Hz. The new ultrasonic nozzle can be widely used in energy exploration for effective pulsed waterjet generation and less energy consumption.

Improved synthesis of metformin hydrochloride-sodium alginate (MH-NaALG) microspheres using ultrasonic spray drying

Metformin Hydrochloride (MH), an orally administered antidiabetic drug from the biguanide family, encounters issues of wide particle size distribution, inefficient dissolution rates and short half-life leading to excess dosage which can result in lactic acidosis. Novel approaches that yield smaller particle size and uniform distribution at higher yields are significant to tackle problems associated with solubility and optimum dosage levels of the administered drugs. In the current research related to microsphere synthesis, a controlled process based on pressure and ultrasonic nozzles for the atomization of liquid, was applied with an objective of optimizing particle size of microspheres of MH in sodium alginate, a biopolymer excipient matrix. The study carried out in spray dryer elucidated parameter optimization using one variable at a time approach by varying important parameters as inlet temperature of air (120°C–150 °C), rate of flow of feed (1.5 mL/min-3 mL/min), aspirator rate (800 rpm–1400 rpm) and polymer content in feed solution (1 g–8 g) using ultrasonic and pressure nozzles for comparison with the target output parameter as particle size and yield. While the particle size at optimum conditions were <10 μm for both types of atomization, ultrasound assisted spray drying exhibited narrower distribution compared to the pressure atomization. Particle characterization performed using SEM, optical microscopy, FTIR, XRD and DSC revealed slight deformation with no chemical interaction and slight decrease in crystalline nature of pure drug. Overall, an improved process based on the use of ultrasound with optimized parameters has been demonstrated for synthesis of MH containing microspheres.

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE ROOT CANAL IRRIGATION QUALITY WITH EXPERIMENTAL INTRA-ROOT RESORPTION IN VITRO

Introduction. To date, intra-root resorption of teeth is poorly understood, although it is often encountered in dental clinics. This study aimed on assess and comparison of different methods of irrigation and antiseptic solutions activation used for root canal treatment, and focus on cleaning the area of simulated intra-root resorption. Methods. 24 extracted teeth were used, which the simulation of internal resorption was reproduced by dissection the inside of the root canal under the control of an electron microscope (Karl Kaps, Germany) in. Distilled water, sodium hypochlorite 5.25 %, sodium hypochlorite 3 %, chlorhexidine 2 % were used for comparative assessment of irrigation quality by staining with Indian Ink dye. Results. When using an endodontic needle and passive irrigation with the studied irrigation solutions, the dye remained on the inner surfaces of the root canal walls, which indicated their insufficient cleaning. The use of auxiliary cleaning methods - sound and ultrasonic irrigation nozzles - showed better cleaning of the root canal resorption zone. When using the sound activation of the irrigator with the EndoActivator device, the dye partially remained in the simulated resorption zone, while a significant part of the root canal system was cleaned. The use of ultrasonic activation of the irrigator with the P5 XS device showed that all dye-stained root canals of the samples were cleaned. Zones of simulated root resorption did not show any dye residues visually and under electron microscope control. Conclusions. The quality of root canal cleaning in case of intra-root resorption in terms of visual assessment of their transparency and under the control of an electron microscope was more pronounced when using methods of activating irrigation solutions with sound and ultrasonic activators.

Automated Production of Catalyst Coated Membranes for PEM Water Electrolysis Using a Direct Ultra-Sonic Spray Coating Approach

The production of green hydrogen through polymer electrolyte water electrolysis (PEMWE) has attracted attention in recent years for its potential to enable the widespread use of green hydrogen [1, 2]. This technology particularly impacts important sectors of today’s society such as the agricultural and mobility sectors. Among the different components of an electrolysis cell, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is regarded as the most important component for its operation, since it is where the water-splitting reaction takes place. For this reason, the choice of materials and production approach play a highly important role to optimize its lifetime, performance, and cost [3]. Within this context, the MEA production via ultra-sonic spray coating has been lately gaining relevance due to its potential to yield high-activity electrode layers with a low catalyst loading.Conventionally, electrodes for PEMWE have been fabricated using other catalyst deposition techniques such as the doctor blade, airbrush spray coating or rod coating on a separate substrate, which is then transferred onto the membrane via hot pressing. However, the shortcomings of these approaches which include an additional hot press step were recently reported, particularly due to the complexity associated with electrodes with low catalyst loadings due to their sensitivity towards mechanical stress [1, 4]. On the other hand, effective approaches involving a direct ink deposition onto the membrane using ultra-sonic spray coating have been long reported for fuel cell applications [5, 6].In this work, we take the approach of direct ink deposition via ultra-sonic spray coating to produce iridium based MEAs for PEMWE. Furthermore, the dependency of the MEA electrochemical activity on the process and material choice are studied in an iterative manner. Of particular interest for this study is the material transfer rate from the catalyst ink to the membrane, the reproducibility of the developed spray coating process and the variation of materials used for the MEA fabrication. The spray process was performed with an ultra-sonic spray nozzle attached to an automized 3-axis rig and coupled with a syringe pump. The fabricated MEAs were characterized using a single cell setup with an active area of 4 cm2. The results of the first generation of the fabricated MEAs show that the material ratios in ink composition play an important role in the ink flowability through the piping which carries the ink to the ultra-sonic nozzle. Furthermore, this behavior has a direct and strong influence on the final composition of the catalyst layer, which consequently directly affects the cell performance.

Selection of Excipients for the Preparation of Vancomycin-Loaded Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) Microparticles with Extended Release by Emulsion Spray Drying.

The aim of this study was to relate the composition of the W/O emulsion used as a starting fluid in the spray-drying process to the quality of the dry polymer particles obtained in terms of physical-chemical properties, compatibility and drug release performance. Four W/O emulsions containing vancomycin hydrochloride (VAN), an encapsulating PLGA polymer and Poloxamer® 407, chitosan and/or sorbitan monooleate as stabilisers were spray-dried using an ultrasonic atomising nozzle. The microparticles obtained were micron-sized, with a volume mean diameter between 43.2 ± 0.3 and 64.0 ± 12.6 µm, and spherical with a mostly smooth, non-porous surface and with high drug loading (between 14.5 ± 0.6 and 17.1 ± 1.9% w/w). All formulations showed a prolonged and biphasic VAN release profile, with diffusion being the primary release mechanism. Microparticles prepared from the emulsions with Poloxamer® 407 and sorbitan monooleate released VAN rapidly and completely within one day. The release of VAN from microparticles prepared from the emulsion without additives or with chitosan in the inner aqueous phase was significantly decreased; after four days, a cumulative release of 65% and 61%, respectively, was achieved. Microparticles with encapsulated chitosan had the largest mean particle diameter and the slowest release of VAN.

Effect of Encapsulation Techniques on Aroma Retention of Pistacia terebinthus L. Fruit Oil: Spray Drying, Spray Freeze Drying, and Freeze Drying.

The primary aim of this investigation was to assess the impact of varying the ratio of gum arabic to maltodextrin and employing diverse encapsulation techniques on the properties of the powdered substance and the capacity to retain the aromatic attributes of terebinth fruit oil. Distinct ratios of gum arabic to maltodextrin (75:25, 50:50, and 25:75) were employed to fabricate oil-in-water emulsions. The utmost stability of the emulsion was realized at a gum arabic to maltodextrin ratio of 75:25, characterized by a minimal creaming index and an even and small-scale dispersion. The encapsulation techniques employed included spray drying (SD), spray freeze-drying (SFD), and freeze-drying (FD). These methodologies were compared based on encapsulation efficiency, desiccation yield, powder attributes, and the capacity to retain aroma. The encapsulation efficiencies were notably higher (>90%) in SD, particularly with the application of an ultrasonic nozzle and a two-fluidized nozzle (2FN), in contrast to those obtained through SFD and FD. Notably, SD employing an ultrasonic nozzle exhibited superior preservation of volatiles (73.19%) compared to FD (24.45%), SD-2FN (62.34%), and SFD (14.23%). Among the various components, α-pinene and linalool stood out with near-perfect retention rates, close to 100%.

Neutralisation of SARS-CoV-2 by monoclonal antibody through dual targeting powder formulation.

Neutralising monoclonal antibody (mAb) is an important weapon in our arsenal for combating respiratory viral infections. However, the effectiveness of neutralising mAb has been impeded by the rapid emergence of mutant variants. Early administration of broad-spectrum mAb with improved delivery efficiency can potentially enhance efficacy and patient outcomes. WKS13 is a humanised mAb which was previously demonstrated to exhibit broad-spectrum activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants. In this study, a dual targeting formulation strategy was designed to deliver WKS13 to both the nasal cavity and lower airways, the two critical sites of infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. Dry powders of WKS13 were first prepared by spray drying, with cyclodextrin used as stabiliser excipient. Two-fluid nozzle (TFN) was used to produce particles below 5μm for lung deposition (C-TFN formulation) and ultrasonic nozzle (USN) was used to produce particles above 10μm for nasal deposition (C-USN formulation). Gel electrophoresis and size exclusion chromatography studies showed that the structural integrity of mAb was successfully preserved with no sign of aggregation after spray drying. To achieve dual targeting property, C-TFN and C-USN were mixed at various ratios. The aerosolisation property of the mixed formulations dispersed from a nasal powder device was examined using a Next Generation Impactor (NGI) coupled with a glass expansion chamber. When the ratio of C-TFN in the mixed formulation increased, the fraction of particles deposited in the lung increased proportionally while the fraction of particles deposited in the nasal cavity decreased correspondingly. A customisable aerosol deposition profile could therefore be achieved by manipulating the mixing ratio between C-TFN and C-USN. Dual administration of C-TFN and C-USN powders to the lung and nasal cavity of hamsters, respectively, was effective in offering prophylactic protection against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. Viral loads in both the lung tissues and nasal wash were significantly reduced, and the efficacy was comparable to systemic administration of unformulated WKS13. Overall, dual targeting powder formulation of neutralising mAb is a promising approach for prophylaxis of respiratory viral infections. The ease and non-invasive administration of dual targeting nasal powder may facilitate the widespread distribution of neutralising mAb during the early stage of unpredictable outbreaks.

Abstracts from The Aerosol Society Drug Delivery to the Lungs 33.

Abstracts from The Aerosol Society Drug Delivery to the Lungs 33.

Ultrasonic nitrogen jet-assisted femtosecond laser processing of quartz chips

Femtosecond (Fs) laser micromachining is the most effective and flexible method for edge-cutting or transforming the physical properties of various crystalline brittle materials. Fs-laser micro-machining produces slag on the residual surface of micro-structures that reduces the quality and processing efficiency of a machined residual surface. In order to overcome the challenges overlaid during the processing of brittle materials, Fs-laser assisted ultrasonic nitrogen jet micro-machining technique is proposed. The method was applied to quartz chips to investigate improvements in surface quality after laser processing. For conceptualizations, an ultrasonic nitrogen nozzle based on a piezoelectric transducer was designed and Finite Element Method (FEM) was employed to realize the transition of a flow field. An experiment was performed that differentiate the quality of micro-grooves into quartz chips, and the results promote the significance of Fs-laser-assisted ultrasonic nitrogen jet micromachining for the processing of brittle materials. Besides, the machining quality at residual surfaces of quartz chips after laser processing was substantially improved. The process provides an aid to break down the slag into further tiny nano-particles and prevent a recast layer, meanwhile, it enhances the surface quality and processing efficiency without implementing any extensive procedure.

Design of a high-voltage electrostatic ultrasonic atomization nozzle and its droplet adhesion effects on aeroponically cultivated plant roots

In the process of aeroponics cultivation, the atomizer is one of the most important influencing factors on the cultivation process. This paper presented the design of an ultrasonic atomization nozzle using contact charging and a root droplet adhesion test rig. The purpose of this study was to reveal the relationship between the main operating parameters of the high-voltage electrostatic ultrasonic atomization nozzle and the atomization effect using droplet adhesion measurements. In this study, the ultrasonic effect of nozzle was achieved by using Laval tube, and the design of the key parameters for the high-voltage electrostatic ultrasonic atomization nozzle were inlet pressure, electrostatic voltage root core electrode material and spray distance; the droplet size variation and root adhesion patterns were obtained through experiments. The best operating parameters were analyzed by using the orthogonal test method, and the droplet deposition distribution of the root system at different scales was investigated in the atomization chamber. The test results revealed that when the root core electrode material was coppe and the nozzle working parameters were at 0.4 MPa of inlet pressure, at 1.75 m the spray distance, at 12 kV of the electrostatic voltage, the root system has the highest droplet adhesion. Keywords: ultrasonic nozzle, high pressure electrostatic system, droplet size measurement, root adhesion test, droplet deposition effect DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20231602.7222 Citation: Gao J M, Guo Y N, Tunio M H, Chen X C, Chen Z J. Design of a high-voltage electrostatic ultrasonic atomization nozzle and its droplet adhesion effect on aeroponically cultivated plant roots. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2023; 16(2): 30–37.

Study on Dust Migration Law and Spray Dust Suppression Technology in Fully Mechanized Mining Face

To effectively solve the problem of high dust concentration during coal cutting and frame shifting in fully mechanized mining faces, based on the theory of gas–solid two-phase flow, a geometric model of a fully mechanized mining face was established by using COMSOL numerical simulation software. Simulations were performed for the movement characteristics of wind flow and the law of dust diffusion. Results show that the air flow at the junction of the working face, the air inlet, the hydraulic support moving area, and the vicinity of the shearer has accelerated movement, and the maximum wind speed zone of about 3 m/s can be formed. Under the influence of wind flow, dust particles above 35 μm settle faster, while dust particles below 35 μm are very vulnerable to the influence of wind flow, and the settling speed is slower. Using a custom experimental platform, the atomization characteristics and wind resistance of a pressure fan nozzle, a supersonic nozzle, and an ultrasonic nozzle were tested, and the nozzle that was suitable for the scheme was selected and applied in the field. Comparing the dust concentration before and after the application of the dust removal scheme at the sampling point, results show that the dust removal efficiency of the proposed scheme exceeds 85%, and the treatment effect is good.

Comparison of nutrient use efficiency, antioxidant assay, and nutritional quality of butter-head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in five cultivation systems

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the comparison of nutrient use efficiency, antioxidant assay, and nutritional quality of butter-head lettuce in five cultivation systems. For this experimental study, a split-boxes experimental arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three aeroponics systems (high pressure (T1), low pressure (T2), and ultrasonic nozzle (T3)), hydroponic system (T4), and conventional cultivation system (T5) was designed. The analyses of variance (ANOVA) were employed to assess yield, chlorophyll content, relative water content (RWC), nutrient use efficiency (NUE), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH), Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid content (TFC) and nutritional quality of butter-head lettuce. The experimental comparative results indicated that the shoot and root (fresh and dry) weight, root-to-shoot ratio, chlorophyll contents, CWC, NUE, DDPH, H2O2, FRAP, TPC, TFC, nitrate, vitamin C, and protein level were significantly (p 0.7) among the Shoot (FW), Chlorophyll, RWC, NUE, and among TPC, TFC, DDPH, H2O2, and FRAP. This study demonstrates that butter-head lettuce grown in aeroponics systems with high-pressure nozzles may serve as a potential dietary source and is rich in natural antioxidants. Keywords: aeroponics, high-pressure nozzle, phenolic content, antioxidants, lettuce DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20231601.6794 Citation: Tunio M H, Gao J M, Mohamed T M K, Ahmad F, Abbas I, Shaikh S A. Comparison of nutrient use efficiency, antioxidant assay, and nutritional quality of butter-head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in five cultivation systems. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2023; 16(1): 95–103.

초음파 분사 노즐의 분사 범위에 따른 슬러리 막 두께의 변화가 재료제거율에 미치는 영향

Most of the consumables used in the CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) process are discarded because it is difficult to reuse them. Slurry accounts for most of the consumables, so research is being conducted to reduce the amount of slurry used. A previous study explains that when the same amount of slurry is injected, the material removal rate is improved when the slurry is injected wide and thin instead of the tube nozzle, which is the conventional slurry injection method. However, there was no change in the injection method due to the problems of the injection method suggested in previous studies and the lack of follow-up studies. Thus, in this paper, an injection method through an ultrasonic spray nozzle is proposed to improve the problems of the injection method proposed in previous studies. Additionally, it is intended to calculate the slurry film thickness according to the spraying range and to explain the effect of the film thickness on the material removal rate.

Investigation of optimal selection and atomizing characteristics of nozzles for ultrasonic dry-mist dust suppression system

ABSTRACT In order to provide insightful guidance for the selection of nozzles and the determination of operating conditions of ultrasonic dry-mist dust suppression system, this study collected six different types of ultrasonic dry-mist nozzles and investigated their atomizing characteristics in depth. Through comparison, the optimal nozzles were applied to engineering site and the dust suppression performance was measured. According to the present research results, the spraying ranges of No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6 nozzles among six different types of nozzles are below 170 cm, suggesting these nozzles are not suitable for far-distance dust suppression. Among the rest three types of nozzles, No. 4 nozzle (ST-47 nozzle) performs best in terms of overall performance, which can not only possess great spraying range but also produce the droplets at the dry-mist level size. Therefore, No. 4 nozzle is applicable to dry-mist dust suppression system in most cases. As the air supply pressure increases, the air flow rate of ST-47 nozzle increases gradually in exponential form while the water flow rate drops exponentially, accompanied with constant increasing ratio of gas-to-liquid flow rate. As the water supply pressure increases, the air flow rate of ST-47 nozzle decreases gradually in exponential form, while the water flow rate increases exponentially, accompanied with constant decreasing ratio of gas-to-liquid flow rate. As regard to the other atomizing parameters, the spraying range increases as the increasing air supply pressure but decreases as the increasing water supply pressure; both the droplet size and atomizing angle decrease as the increasing air supply pressure but increase as the increasing water supply pressure. The optimal operating condition for ST-47 ultrasonic dry-mist nozzle was determined as p L = 0.1 MPa and p air = 0.5 MPa. Under that optimal operating condition, the total dust and respirable dust suppression efficiencies after the application of ultrasonic dry-mist dust suppression system during coal transport on the belt can reach up to 94.1% and 96.1%, respectively.

Tailoring functional spray-dried powder platform for efficient donepezil nose-to-brain delivery

Shortcomings of oral donepezil administration in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease have paved the way for ongoing investigations towards more efficient and safe donepezil nose-to-brain delivery. Herein we present the development of advantageous powder platform for donepezil nose-to-brain delivery, coupling careful design of chitosan and mannitol-based carrier matrix with spray-drying technology advantages and early consideration of adequate nasal administration mode, employing QbD approach. Unprecedentedly, ultrasonic nozzle was used to atomise the drying feed in response to size-related requirements for nasal aerosol particles. The optimised spray-drying process resulted in free-flowable dry powder with a great majority of particles larger than 10 µm, ensuring localised nasal deposition upon aerosolization, as evidenced by using 3D-printed nasal cavity model. QbD approach coupling formulation, process and administration parameters enabled optimisation of drug deposition profile reaching tremendously high 65.5 % of the applied dose deposited in the olfactory region. The leading formulation exhibited favourable swelling, mucoadhesion, drug release and permeation-enhancing properties, suiting the needs for efficient brain-targeted delivery. Results of in vitro biocompatibility and physico-chemical stability studies confirmed the leading formulation potential for safe and efficient donepezil nose-to-brain delivery. The obtained results encourage extending the study to an appropriate in vivo model needed for the final proof-of-concept.

물 분사방식 초음파 검사 노즐의 와류방지형상에 따른 유동특성 분석

본 연구에서는 물 분사방식의 비파괴 검사에 적용되는 노즐 형상에 따른 유동 특성을 분석하였다. 노즐은 선형 및 비선형으로 구성된 기본형상에 와류방지판과 와류방지링이 각각 적용되어 총 6종류의 노즐이 고려되었으며 노즐 내부 및 외부의 속도장, 와류 발생 및 난류 강도를 비교하였다. 와류방지판과 와류방지링이 적용된 노즐의 경우 축방향으로 발생된 회전유동을 방지판과 방지링이 효과적으로 억제시켰으며 난류강도와 속도장을 고려할 때 전반적으로 직선 형태의 노즐에서는 와류방지판이, 곡선 형태의 노즐에서는 와류방지링이 다른 형상보다 유리한 유동특성을 보여주었다.

Development of an Automatic Ultrasonic Matrix Sprayer for Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI MSI) has emerged as a powerful tool for studying the spatial distribution of various types of molecules. Matrix deposition is a critical step for obtaining high-quality imaging data. An automatic device named SoniCoat was fabricated based on an ultrasonic nozzle driven by a pizeoelectric ceramic for matrix coating in the present study. Compared with the minihumidifier developed previously by our group for matrix deposition, SoniCoat realized automation, and the ultrasonic nozzle of this device is easy to clean and less likely to get clogged, indicating a longer life. Compared with commercial and homemade instruments such as the TM-Sprayer and electrospray matrix coating device, our newly developed device achieved a good nebulization effect without the need for high-pressure gas flow and high voltage. Matrix deposition by SoniCoat generated more homogeneous matrix crystals with diameters of about 10 μm and reduced the occurrence of molecular diffusion to a greater extent, compared with the results by TM-Sprayer. Repeatable high-spatial-resolution MS imaging data were obtained with the help of SoniCoat. Furthermore, the newly developed device can also be successfully applied for in situ derivatization.