MOLECULARSPRAY

Image above is a high-speed (10 ns exposure) capture of a whipping instability in an electrosprayed solution of fluorescein in methanol ©2015 Robert Temperton.

Electrospray solvents & solutions

The table below contains a selection of non-volatile, fragile or complex molecules that have been successfully deposited on surfaces in high or ultra-high vacuum by electrospray and the solvent mixtures used to form the spray solutions (in all cases the simplest solvent mixture is given - other combinations may work equally well or the spray may be enhanced by the addition of other solvents). Figures in brackets indicate percentage solvents by volume.

Molecule Solvent mixture Comments
PCBM Toluene:Methanol (90:10) Dissolve first in toluene then add methanol
P3HT Toluene:Methanol (90:10) Dissolve first in toluene then add methanol and filter
PCBM:P3HT Mixture Toluene:Methanol (90:10) Dissolve individually first in toluene then add methanol, then mix the two solutions in desired ratio
C60 Toluene:Methanol (90:10) Dissolve first in toluene then add methanol
Ru535 Dye (aka N3) Methanol (100)
Ru470 Dye Methanol (100)
PEDOT:PSS Water:Methanol (50:50) Dissolve first in water then add methanol
Fibronectin protein Phosphate Saline Buffer:Methanol (50:50) Supplied in buffer solution to which methanol is added
Fluorescein Methanol (100)
Gold nanoparticles Citrate Buffer:Water (20:80)
PLGA Acetone (100) No issues
PEG:PEO Methanol (100)
PVP Methanol (100)
Rhodamine 6G Methanol (100)
SQ2 Dye Methanol (100)
Mn12(acetate)16 Single molecule magnets Methanol (100)
Mn12(benzoate)16 Single molecule magnets Methanol (100)