Two thermospray probe insert designs that allow clogged probes to be rapidly replaced

Thermospray has been widely accepted as a reliable technique for the analytical scientist. Many manufacturers provide thermospray as an option on their mass spectrometers. One difficulty experienced with thermospray is the clogging of the probe inserts. This report describes two new probe insert designs that minimize the problems associated with clogged probe inserts. Both of these new designs minimize the expense and downtime associated with clogged probe inserts. The capillary can be easily and quickly replaced to ensure optimum performance. The new fused-silica probe insert design that is described worked adequately; there was, however, some beam instability caused by rapid oscillation of the fused-silica tubing near the tip. This oscillation also caused the tip to become brittle, necessitating frequent replacement. The stainless steel probe insert described did not exhibit these problems. Last, a comparison is made between the two new designs and the standard Kratos thermospray probe insert.