Core Capability for Chemistry Research: Cardiff School of Chemistry Mass Spectrometry

质谱是支撑化学研究的四大核心分析技术之一。近年来，质谱仪器有了相当大的进步，特别是在可电离的分子范围、更高的分辨率和灵敏度、离子迁移率和受控碎片化以产生结构信息以及改进与其他分析方法的耦合方面。在这里，我们提出了三个新的质谱仪器，将满足当前和未来的研究在卡迪夫化学学院和我们的合作者在学术界和工业界的需求。一个仪器将包括一个液相色谱-质谱系统具有控制碎片和离子迁移池。该仪器将允许使用色谱法和离子迁移率分离复杂混合物中的物质，离子迁移率与碎片化提供的结构信息相结合，然后进行准确的质量测量。该仪器对生物分子的分析将是有价值的，从而支持合成生物学和化学生物学的项目。热重分析仪耦合到红外光谱仪和质谱仪将允许在固体的受控加热过程中产生的挥发性分子的化学鉴定。该工具将特别有利于生物能源、生物质加工和高性能材料方面的项目。具有HPLC和激光烧蚀前端的电感耦合等离子体质谱仪将允许测定各种样品中的痕量金属。该仪器将在广泛的项目中使用，包括医疗器械材料，淀粉样肽的配位化学和多相催化。

Mass spectrometry is one of the four core analytical techniques that underpin chemistry research. Mass spectrometry instrumentation has advanced considerably in recent years, in particular in the range of molecules that can be ionised, greater resolution and sensitivity, ion mobility and controlled fragmentation to yield structural information, and improved coupling to other analytical methods. Here we propose three new mass spectrometry instruments that will meet the needs of current and future research at the Cardiff School of Chemistry and our collaborators in academia and industry.One instrument will comprise a liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry system featuring controlled fragmentation and an ion mobility cell. This instrument will permit separation of species in complex mixtures using chromatography and ion mobility, which is combined with the structural information provided by fragmentation followed by accurate mass measurement. This instrument will be valuable for analysis of biomolecules, thus supporting projects in synthetic-biology and chemical-biology.A thermogravimetric analyser coupled to an infrared spectrometer and mass spectrometer will allow chemical identification of volatile molecules evolved during controlled heating of solids. The instrument will particularly benefit projects in bioenergy, biomass processing and high performance materials. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer with HPLC and laser ablation front ends will allow determination of trace metals in a wide range of samples. The instrument will be put to use across a wide range of projects, including materials for medical devices, coordination chemistry of amyloid peptides, and heterogeneous catalysis.