You can see actual photographs of the process in action by taking a look at this animation . On the industrial scale electrospray is used in the application of paints and coatings to metal surfaces. The fine spray results in very smooth even films, and the paint is actually attracted to the metal, so the paint material is used more efficiently. The electrostatic plume makes an efficient, although very low power, ion propulsion engine. Ionization is the process of generating a gas phase ion from an otherwise neutral chemical species.
Ionization is a critical event in the now burgeoning analytical technique called mass spectrometry.
In mass spectrometry the mass of an ion can be accurately measured. We manufacture a variety of tips to optimize the sensitivity and efficiency of ESI-MS while minimizing the amount of sample required for analysis. These devices find application in the interfacing of powerful separation methods such as capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Many of our products are useful at very low flow rates, generally referred to as micro-electrospray or nanospray. Many of our product applications involve the study and discovery of novel proteins and peptides, now creating the new field of Proteomics.