Advanced Materials, Information and Communication
Ambient Desorption Optical Emission Spectroscopy
Inventors: Dr. R. Ken Marcus
Keywords: Imaging, Environment, Diagnostics
Market Overview
This analytical instrument uses ambient desorption optical emission spectroscopy (AD-OES) to perform elemental analysis on samples as diverse as metallic thin films, solution residues, powders, and bulk metals – directly from the solid state. Ambient desorption refers to the capability to analyze substances in their native state, and the ability to do AD-OES means cost efficient, simpler instrumentation can be used to do this in-field. The market for elemental analysis is expected to be worth $6.213 billion by 2020 and the global homeland security market is estimated to reach $544.02 billion by 2018. Clemson University researchers have developed an approach to using ADOES for elemental analysis that does not require the use of a mass spectrometer (MS) for detection or a laser for vaporization, thereby reducing costs and increasing portability of the instrument. This approach is particularly useful in scenarios where analysts cannot or do not want to transport samples back to a laboratory and dissolve them for analysis.
Applications:
Homeland security, in-field elemental analysis
Technical Summary:
Clemson University researchers have developed a new analytical instrument for performing elemental analysis of species on a solid substrate via OES. This approach applies the liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge (LS-APGD) microplasma to desorb material from a solid surface, breaking it down to atomic form, and then exciting the atoms so they emit light corresponding to the elements present. The method allows for the elemental composition of the surface h k species (or those deposited on a surface, such as powders or residues) to be determined qualitatively and quantitatively and does not require sample preparation. LS-APGD can also perform elemental analysis of liquids, particles, and solid surfaces and introduce particles without modification. The ability to vaporize metal films, bulk metals, and solutions deposited on silica wafers has been demonstrated by the researchers. AD-OES would be much more attractive than MS in terms of instrumentation overhead and the ability to perform elemental analysis in the field and simple in-laboratory platforms.
Advantages:
- Utilizes OES sampling of the plasma, reducing costs and allowing easier portability
- Allows solid materials to be analyzed directly, eliminating the need for an acid dissolution step
- No sample preparation required to affect an elemental analysis
Technology Overview
State of Development
Proof of Concept
Patent Type
Provisional
Category
Serial Number
62,276,364
CURF Reference No.
2016-018
Inventors
Dr. R. Ken Marcus
For More Info, Contact:
curf@clemson.edu
(864)656-0797
Contact
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