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A Novel Mass Spectrometer for Characterization of Electrochemical Processes

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-FG03-97ER82478
Agency Tracking Number: 37361
Amount: $75,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1997
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
1570 Pacheco Street Suite E-11
Santa Fe, NM 87505
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Dr. David S. Bomse
 Principal Research Scientist
 (505) 984-1322
Business Contact
 Mr. Alan C. Stanton
Title: President
Phone: (505) 984-1322
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

63

A Novel Mass Spectrometer for Characterization of Electrochemical Processes--Southwest Sciences, Inc., 1570 Pacheco Street, Suite E-11, Santa Fe, NM 87505-3937; (505) 984-1322
Dr. David S. Bomse, Principal Investigator
Mr. Alan C. Stanton, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82478
Amount: $75,000
Electrochemical processes are important to a wide variety of energy related systems such as the production of aluminum and chlorine, fuel cells, capacitors, batteries. Research tools are needed to study the electrochemical reactions in order to improve their energy efficiency. Mass spectroscopy is used to track these reactions, but overlapping signals from different compounds make it difficult to identify all key components in the reaction mixture. This project will develop an instrument-based new approach, called ionization energy modulated mass spectroscopy, that combines conventional mass spectral data with information about the ionization characteristics of the compounds in order to identify the different species present. The Phase I project will emphasize development of a high resolution electron source that will be coupled with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to make a working ionization energy modulated mass spectrometer suitable for electrochemical studies. The Phase I instrument will be tested by examining mixtures of compounds pertinent to methanol fuel cell oxidation reactions. In Phase II the intensity of the electron source will be increased and the improved spectrometer will be used to study key electrochemical systems.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: In addition to specialized measurements of electrochemical systems, ionization energy modulated mass spectrometry should become a general purpose laboratory technique for mixture analysis. Many standard analytical methods currently use gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). The chromatographic process is slow - ten minutes to an hour - while the mass spectrometric step is nearly instantaneous. The proposed chemical analysis technique should be able to provide rapid, direct analysis of mixtures. Overall measurement times could be reduced dramatically with a concomitant decrease in cost per sample.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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