Efficient Analysis of Small Molecules via Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LDI-TOF MS) Using Gold Nanoshells with Nanogaps

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a commonly used technique for analyzing large biomolecules. However, the utilization of organic matrices limits the small-molecule analysis because of the interferences in the low-mass region and the reproducibility issues. To overcome these limitations, a surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI), which utilizes nanostructured metallic surfaces, has been developed. Herein, a novel approach for SALDI-MS was proposed using silica@gold core-shell hybrid materials with a nanogap-rich shell (SiO @Au NGS), which is an emerging material due to its excellent heat-generating capabilities. The gold shell thickness was controlled by adjusting the concentration of gold precursor for the growth of gold nanoparticles. SALDI-MS measurements were performed on a layer formed by drop-casting a mixture of SiO @Au NGS and analytes. At the optimized process, the gold shell thickness was observed to be 17.2 nm, which showed the highest absorbance. Based on the enhanced SALDI capability, SiO @Au NGS was utilized to detect various small molecules, including amino acids, sugars, and flavonoids, and the ionization softness was confirmed with a survival yield upon fragmentation. The limits of detection, reproducibility, and salt tolerance of SiO @Au NGS demonstrate its potential as an effective and reliable SALDI material for small-molecule analyses.