Rapid on-chip monitoring of chemical transformations by seamless coupling of digital microfluidics and mass spectrometry through a chip-integrated micro spray hole

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Detlev Belder
• Subject Area: Analytical Chemistry ; Measurement Systems
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 505692953

Digital microfluidics (DMF) represents the ideal vision for the invention of an integrated chemical circuit in which chemical processes are digitally controlled and run as if by magic. The missing link to unlock DMF as a novel synthetic discovery platform is on-chip chemistry-specific real-time analytics. This will be made possible by seamlessly coupling digital microfluidics and mass spectrometry. Building on our recent work, this will be achieved through an integrated microspray hole (μSH) and the application of electrostatic spray ionisation (ESTASI) to transfer a droplet fraction from the inner chip to the mass spectrometer. In contrast to the current state of the art, the full mobility of the droplet on the DMF platform is to be maintained, which allows trouble-free processing of subsequent DMF processes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants