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At least 1,009 records · Page 56

Enhancing glycan isomer separations with metal ions and positive and negative polarity ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry analyses

Glycomics has become an increasingly important field of research since glycans play critical roles in biology processes ranging from molecular recognition and signaling to cellular communication. Glycans often conjugate with other biomolecules such as proteins and lipids, and alter their properties and functions, so understanding the effect glycans have on cellular systems is essential. However the analysis of glycans is extremely difficult due to their complexity and structural diversity (i.e., the number and identity of monomer units, and configuration of their glycosidic linkages and connectivities). In this work, we coupled ion mobility spectrometry with mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) to characterize glycan standards and biologically important isomers of synthetic αGal-containing O-glycans including glycotopes of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is the causative agent of Chagas disease. IMS-MS results showed significant differences for the glycan structural isomers when analyzed in positive and negative polarity and complexed with different metal cations. These results suggest specific metal ions or ion polarities could be used to target and baseline separate glycan isomers of interest with IMS-MS.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Impact of Ionic Liquid on Lithium Ion Battery with a Solid Poly(Ionic Liquid) Pentablock Terpolymer as Electrolyte and Separator

In this work, a ternary blend solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) consisting of a poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) multiblock polymer, lithium salt, and ionic liquid (IL) was investigated with the goal of understanding the influence of IL concentration on ion transport mechanisms and electrochemical stability. The physical, transport, mechanical, morphological, and electrochemical properties of the ternary blend SPE were systematically investigated as a function of IL concentration (r = [IL]/[PIL] mole ratio between 0.1 and 0.7). The results indicate that with increasing IL concentration, the continuous conductive domain increases along with the polymer chain segmental mobility, as well as facilitate ionic conductivity, while the mechanical modulus exhibits a percolation threshold (from 52.17 MPa to 0.55 MPa at r = 0.2 to 0.3). Surprisingly, at higher IL concentrations, there is a reduction in the lithium cation mobility (i.e., 9.3 × 10-12 m2 s-1 versus 3.8 × 10-12 m2 s-1 for r = 0.2 versus r = 0.5, respectively) as evidenced by pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG-NMR), which coincides with an increased overpotential (i.e., 50 mV versus 150 mV for r = 0.2 versus r = 0.5, respectively) evidenced by lithium metal stripping and plating. This work provides valuable insights into the impact of IL on lithium ion conducting PIL block polymers, which may enable the design of new SPEs with both high ionic conductivity and improved stability for the future lithium ion batteries.

Chen, Tzu-Ling↗

Ultra-High Resolution Ion Mobility Separations Utilizing Traveling Waves in a 13 m Serpentine Path Length Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations Module

We report the development and initial evaluation of a 13-m path length Structures for Lossless Manipulations (SLIM) module for achieving high resolution separations using traveling waves (TW) with ion mobility (IM) spectrometry. The TW SLIM module was fabricated using two mirror-image printed circuit boards with appropriately configured RF, DC and TW electrodes and positioned with a 2.75-mm inter-surface gap. Ions were effective confined between the surfaces by RF-generated pseudopotential fields and moved losslessly through a serpentine path including 44 “U” turns using TWs. The ion mobility resolution was characterized at different pressures, gaps between the SLIM surfaces, TW and RF parameters. After initial optimization the SLIM IM-MS module provided about 5-fold higher resolution separations than present commercially available drift tube or traveling wave IM-MS platforms. Peak capacity and peak generation rates achieved were 246 and 370 s-1, respectively, at a TW speed of 148 m/s. The high resolution achieved in the TW SLIM IM-MS enabled e.g., isomeric sugars (Lacto-N-fucopentaose I and Lacto-N-fucopentaose II) to be baseline resolved, and peptides from a albumin tryptic digest much better resolved than with existing commercial IM-MS platforms. The present work also provides a foundation for the development of much higher resolution SLIM devices based upon both considerably longer path lengths and multi-pass designs.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Improved Sensitivity and Separations for Phosphopeptides using Online Liquid Chromotography Coupled with Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations Ion Mobility–Mass Spectrometry

Phosphoproteomics greatly augments proteomics and holds tremendous potential for insights into the modulation of biological systems for various disease states, etc. However, numerous challenges hinder conventional methods in terms of measurement sensitivity, throughput, and capabilities for confident phosphopeptide and phosphosite identification. In this work, we report the first example of integrating structures for lossless ion manipulations ion mobility (SLIM) IM-MS with online reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) to evaluate its potential for addressing the aforementioned challenges. A mixture of 51 heavy-labeled phosphopeptides was analyzed with a SLIM IM module having integrated ion accumulation and long-path separation regions. The SLIM IM-MS provided improved sensitivity over an established LC-SRM method, with limits of detection as low as 50 pM (50 amol/µl) for several peptides. Conventionally problematic phosphopeptide isomers could be resolved following an 18 m SLIM IM separation. The 2-D peak capacity was estimated as ~9000 for 90 min LC separation coupled to an 18 m SLIM IM separation, considerably higher than LC alone and providing a basis for both improved identification and quantification, with additional gains projected with the future use of longer path SLIM IM separations. Thus, LC-SLIM IM-MS offers great potential for improving the sensitivity, separation, and throughput of phosphoproteomics analyses.

Chouinard, Christopher D.↗

Rapid Ion Mobility Separations of Bile Acid Isomers Using Cyclodextrin Adducts and Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

Bile acids (BAs) constitute an important class of steroid metabolites with changes implicated in disease states and other health conditions. Current analyses for these structurally similar compounds are limited by a lack of sensitivity, and long separation times with often poor isomeric resolution. To overcome these challenges and provide rapid analyses for the BA isomers, we utilized cyclodextrin adducts and ion mobility (IM) separations in structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM). Cyclodextrin was found to interact with both the tauro- and glyco-conjugated BA isomers studied, forming rigid noncovalent host-guest inclusion complexes. SLIM capabilities for the accumulation of large ion populations and peak compression, enabled both the sensitive detection and high-resolution separation of all the isomers studied.

Chouinard, Christopher D.↗

Facilitating the Operation of Lithium-Ion Cells with High-Nickel Layered Oxide Cathodes with a Small Dose of Aluminum

Layered oxide cathodes with a high Ni content of >0.6 are promising for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, parasitic electrolyte oxidation of the charged cathode and mechanical degradation arising from phase transitions significantly deteriorate the cell performance and cycle life as the Ni content increases. Here we demonstrate here a significantly prolonged cycle life with superior cell performance by substituting a small-dose of Al (2 mol %) for Ni in LiNi 0.92 Co 0.06 Al 0.02 O 2 ; the capacity retention after operating a full cell fabricated with graphite anode for 1000 cycles increases from 47% to 83% on going from the Al-free LiNi 0.94 Co 0.06 O 2 to the Al-doped LiNi 0.92 Co 0.06 Al 0.02 O 2 cathode. Through in situ X-ray diffraction, we provide the operando evidence that the Al-doping tunes the H2–H3 phase transition process from a two-phase reaction to a quasi-monophase reaction, minimizing the mechanical degradation. Furthermore, secondary-ion mass spectrometry reveals considerably suppressed transition-metal dissolution with Al-doping, effectively preventing sustained parasitic reactions and active Li trapping due to chemical crossover on graphite anodes. This work offers a viable approach for adopting high-Ni cathodes in lithium-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Universal Single-Ion Physics in Spin–Orbit-Coupled d 5 and d 4 Ions

We have identified six new 4d 4 and 4d 5 compounds with isolated RuCl 6 octahedra, with formulas (HMA) 4 RuCl 6 ·Cl ( 1 ; MA = methylamine), (HGly) 4 RuCl 6 ·Cl ( 2 ; gly = glycine), (HGly) 3 RuCl 6 ·2H 2 O ( 3 ), (NH 4 ) 2 RuCl 6 ( 4 ), (HPy) 2 RuCl 6 ( 5 ; py = pyridine), and H 2 (4,4'-bpy)RuCl 6 ( 6 ; 4,4'-bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine). We find that the temperature-dependent magnetization is well described by single-ion physics in the presence of spin–orbit coupling and negligible superexchange interactions. Further, we find that many compounds in the literature are also well described by single-ion physics, and our results demonstrate the importance of considering single-ion physics when evaluating candidate geometric frustrated magnets in the presence of spin–orbit coupling.

optics, thermal conductivity, defects, charge tran↗

Characterizing the Mechanisms of Ca and Mg Carbonate Ion-Pair Formation with Multi-Level Molecular Dynamics/Quantum Mechanics Simulations

The carbonate minerals of Ca and Mg are abundant throughout the lithosphere and have recently garnered significant research interest as possible long-term carbon sinks in the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Nonetheless, an understanding of the atomic-level processes comprising their mineralization remains limited. Furthermore, we characterize and contrast the mechanisms of contact ion-pair formation in aqueous Ca and Mg carbonate systems, which represents the most fundamental step leading to the formation of their mineral solids. Utilizing multilevel embedded correlated wavefunction-based ab initio molecular dynamics/quantum mechanics simulations, we characterize not only the dynamics of these processes but also factors arising from the electronic structure of the involved species, revealing further details of the fundamentally different mechanisms for the interconversion between the contact ion-pairs and solvent-shared ion-pairs of Ca versus Mg carbonate.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Quantum Sensing of Electric Fields Using Spin-Correlated Radical Ion Pairs

Quantum sensing affords the possibility of using quantum entanglement to probe electromagnetic fields with exquisite sensitivity. In this work, we show that a photogenerated spin-correlated radical ion pair (SCRP) can be used to sense an electric field change created at one radical ion of the pair using molecular recognition. The SCRP is generated within a covalent donor–chromophore–acceptor system PXX–PMI–NDI, 1, where PXX = peri-xanthenoxanthene, PMI = 1,6-bis(p-t-butylphenoxy)perylene-3,4-dicarboximide, and NDI = naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide). The electron-rich PXX donor in 1 acts as a guest molecule that can be encapsulated selectively by a tetracationic cyclophane ExBox4+ host to give a supramolecular complex 1 ⊂ ExBox 4+ . Selective photoexcitation of the PMI chromophore results in ultrafast generation of the PXX •+ –PMI–NDI •– SCRP. When PXX is encapsulated by ExBox 4+ , the cyclophane generates an electric field that repels the positive charge on PXX •+ within PXX •+ –PMI–NDI •– , reducing the SCRP distance, i.e., the distance between the centers-of-charge on the donor and acceptor. Pulse-EPR measurements are used to measure the coherent oscillations created primarily by the electron–electron dipolar coupling in the SCRP, which yields the distance between the two charges (spins) of PXX •+ –PMI–NDI •– . Here, the experimental results show that the distance between PXX •+ and NDI •– decreases when ExBox 4+ encapsulates PXX •+ , which demonstrates that the SCRP can function as a quantum sensor to detect electric field changes in the vicinity of the radical ions.

Anions↗

Characterizing Ion Flows Across a Magnetotail Dipolarization Jet: Characterizing Ion Flows Across a Magnetotail Dipolarization Jet

The structure of dipolarization jets with finite width in the dawn-dusk direction relevant to magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail is explored with particle-in-cell simulations. We carry out Riemann simulations of the evolution of the jet in the dawn-dusk, north-south plane to investigate the dependence of the jet structure on the jet width in the dawn-dusk direction. We find that the magnetic field and Earth-directed ion flow structure depend on the dawn-dusk width. A reversal in the usual Hall magnetic field near the center of the current sheet on the duskside of larger jets is observed. For small widths, the maximum velocity of the earthward flow is significantly reduced below the theoretical limit of the upstream Alfvén speed. However, the ion flow speed approaches this limit once the width exceeds the ion Larmor radius based on the normal magnetic field, $B^z$.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗