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DOE OSTI2024

Construction of a Cosmic Ray Telescope for the hpDIRC Radiators at the Electron Ion Collider

Nuclear physics pertains to the understanding of the structure and dynamics of the nuclei of atoms, accounting for almost all of the visible matter in the universe. The future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) will play a crucial role in discovering new laws of Nuclear physics. A pivotal aspect of the EIC is exceptional particle identification (PID). Identifying charged hadrons in their final state can be done with special types of Cherenkov Detectors. One type of detector utilizes the Detection of Internally Reflected Cherenkov radiation (DIRC) phenomena. Able to provide precise PID separation up to relatively high momenta, DIRC radiators, made of synthetic fused silica, produce Cherenkov radiation when hit by high energy electromagnetically charged particles. In this thesis we present details of the construction of a cosmic ray telescope (CRT) to utilize high energy muons from cosmic rays to test DIRC radiators. These types of radiators will be used for the high-performance DIRC (hpDIRC) to be used in the ePIC detector in the future EIC. We go into detail on the DIRC process and the individual pieces of hardware required to make the CRT. Lots of labor was used for certain parts of the CRT, specifically the construction of a dark box for the DIRC radiators. The CRT construction and implementation of all of its components are planned to be completed before 2025.

Shankman, Nathan↗

DOE OSTI2021

A Lagrangian Study of Interfaces at the Edges of Cumulus Clouds

Abstract Interfaces at the edge of an idealized, nonprecipitating, warm cloud are studied using direct numerical simulation (DNS) complemented with a Lagrangian particle tracking routine. Once a shell has formed, four zones can be distinguished: the cloud core, visible shell, invisible shell, and the environment. The union of the visible and invisible regions is the shell commonly referred to in literature. The boundary between the invisible shell and the environment is the turbulent–nonturbulent interface (TNTI), which is typically not considered in cloud studies. Three million particles were seeded homogeneously across the domain and properties were recorded along individual trajectories. The results demonstrate that the traditional cloud boundary (separating cloudy and noncloudy regions using thresholds applied on liquid condensate or updraft velocity) are some distance away from the TNTI. Furthermore, there is no dynamic difference between the traditional liquid-condensate boundary and the region extending to the TNTI. However, particles crossing the TNTI exhibit a sharp jump in enstrophy and a smooth increase in buoyancy. The traditional cloud boundary coincides with the location of minimum buoyancy in the shell. The shell premixes the entraining and detraining air and analysis reveals a highly skewed picture of entrainment and detrainment at the traditional cloud boundary. A preferential entrainment of particles with velocity and specific humidity higher than the mean values in the shell is observed. Large-eddy simulation of a more realistic setup detects an interface with similar properties using the same thresholds as in the DNS, indicating that the DNS results extrapolate beyond their idealized conditions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Shock-driven dispersal of a corrugated finite-thickness particle layer

A research area emerging in the multiphase flow community is the study of shock-driven multiphase instability (SDMI), a gas–particle analog of the traditional fluid-fluid Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI). In this work, we study the interaction of planar air shocks with corrugated glass particle curtains through the use of numerical simulations with an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. One objective of this study is to compare the simulated particle curtains to a comparable set of shock tube experiments performed to analyze traditional RMI of a gas curtain. The simulations are set to match the experimental shock Mach numbers and perturbation wavelengths (3.6 and 7.2 mm) while also matching the Atwood number of the experiments to the multiphase Atwood number of the simulations. Varying particle diameters are tested in the simulations to explore the impact of particle diameter on the evolution of the particle curtain. This simulation setup allows for a one-to-one comparison between RMI and SDMI under comparable conditions while also allowing for a separate study into the validity of the use of the multiphase Atwood number to compare the single-phase and multiphase instabilities. In particular, we show that the comparison depends on the diameter of the particles (thus, dependent on the Stokes number of the flow). A second objective of this study is to analyze the effect of the initial particle volume fraction on the evolution of the curtain and the behavior of the instability. This is done through analyzing the effect of the multiphase terms of the vorticity evolution equation on the vorticity deposition in SDMI. Also discussed is the effect of the particle diameter on the multiphase generation terms as well as in the baroclinic vorticity generation term in SDMI as the shock passes over the curtain.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2022

A liquid stratification model to predict failure in thermally damaged EBW detonators

In previous work, commercially available downward facing exploding bridgewire detonators (EBWs) were exposed to elevated temperatures. These detonators were then initiated using a firing set which discharged a high amplitude short duration electrical pulse into a thin gold bridgewire. Responses of the detonators were measured using photonic doppler velocimetry (PDV) and high-speed photography. A time delay of 4 μs between EBW initiation and first movement of an output flyer separated operable detonators from inoperable detonators or duds. Here, we propose a simple method to determine detonator operability from the calculated state of the detonator at the time the firing set is initiated. The failure criterion is based on the gap distance between the exploding bridgewire (EBW) and the adjacent initiating explosive within the detonator which is low-density pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) that melts between 413-415 K (140-142 ºC). The gap forms as PETN melts and flows to the bottom of the input pellet. Melting of PETN is modeled thermodynamically as an energy sink using a normal distribution spread over a temperature range between the onset temperature of 413 K and the ending temperature of 415 K. The extent of the melt is determined from the average temperature of the PETN. The PETN liquid is assumed to occupy the interstitial gas volume in the lower part of the input pellet. The vacated volume from the relocated liquid forms the gap between the EBW and the PETN. The remaining sandwiched layer consists of solid PETN particles and gas filling interstitial volume. We predict that a threshold gap between 17-27 μm separates properly functioning detonators from duds.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

DOE OSTI2023

Simulation studies for beam commissioning at FRIB Advanced Rare Isotope Separator

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) includes a powerful superconducting driver accelerator and an Advanced Rare Isotope Separator (ARIS). The ARIS collects and purifies the rare isotope fragments of interest for experiments in nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, fundamental symmetries, etc. ARIS consists of a vertical pre-separator and downstream horizontal separator section (C-Bend). Each section can provide a high-resolution separation alternatively. The resolution reduction due to the emittance induced by momentum compression can be avoided by isotope separation in different dispersive planes. Beam commissioning of ARIS for the first experiments was completed and demonstrated particle identification of fragments. The beam tuning in ARIS largely relies on numerical simulations since the limited space for diagnostics. Here, we report the result of the beam trajectory correction, transverse matching, and beam-based misalignment studies at ARIS.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2023

Nanomotor-enhanced transport of passive Brownian particles in porous media

Artificial micro/nanomotors are expected to perform tasks in interface-rich and species-rich environments for biomedical and environmental applications. In these highly confined and interconnected pore spaces, active species may influence the motion of coexisting passive participants in unexpected ways. Using three-dimensional super-resolution single-nanoparticle tracking, we observed enhanced motion of passive nanoparticles due to the presence of dilute well-separated nanomotors in an interconnected pore space. This enhancement acted at distances that are large compared to the sizes of the particles and cavities, in contrast with the insignificant effect on the passive particles with the same dilute concentration of nanomotors in an unconfined liquid. Experiments and simulations suggested an amplification of hydrodynamic coupling between self-propelled and passive nanoparticles in the interconnected confined environment, which enhanced the effective energy for passive particles to escape cavities through small holes. This finding represents an emergent behavior of confined nanomotors and suggests new strategies for the development of antifouling membranes and drug delivery systems.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

VTO FY20Q4 quarterly report

Project Objective.This project has three objectives: (1) tuning microstructures of 3D-printed SSE separators,(2) determining material and processing compatibilities with cathode printing,and (3)3D printing of sintering-free SSE separators.Project Impact.All-solid-state lithium batteries are difficult to process due to the brittleness of ceramic materials, poor solid-solid contact, and electrolyte-electrode stability issues. As a result, the energy and power density and also cycling stability are far from satisfying. This project will address fabrication difficulties by using state-of-the-art 3D-printing techniques that can introduce 3D interfaces and architectures to enhance solid-solid contact and reduce charge transfer resistance. Success will benefit the DOE by establishing the best manufacturing methods for ASSBsto achieve VTO goals on the performance of beyond Li-ion batteries. Approach.The project employs 3D-printing techniques to manufacture SSEs and related components for ASSBs. The team starts with direct ink writing (DIW) to develop ink recipes with desired rheological properties and explore post-sintering approaches to achieve high densification. In parallel with DIW3D printing, the team also explores other 3D printing options, such as projection microstereolithography (PuSL). Both sintering and sintering-free approaches can gain benefit from 3D printing and therefore will be investigated.Out-Year Goals.The team will determine particle sizes and morphologies as well as post-processing conditions that deliver good ionic conductivity and charge transfer properties of LLZTO separators. They will examine co-sintering of LLZTO/cathode and determine the effects of material, particle size, surface coating, and sintering conditions.Collaborations.Microstructures, ionic conductivities, and mechanical properties will be provided to the LLNL simulation team, led by PI B. Wood, for establishing and validating phase-field modeling methods.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Entity—Hardware-agnostic Particle-in-cell Code for Plasma Astrophysics. I. Curvilinear Special Relativistic Module

Entity is a new-generation, fully open-source particle-in-cell (PIC) code developed to overcome key limitations in astrophysical plasma modeling, particularly the extreme separation of scales and the performance challenges associated with evolving, GPU-centric computing infrastructures. It achieves hardware-agnostic performance portability across various GPU and CPU architectures using the Kokkos library. Crucially, Entity maintains a high standard for usability, clarity, and customizability, offering a robust and easy-to-use framework for developing new algorithms and grid geometries, which allows extensive control without requiring edits to the core source code. This paper details the core general-coordinate special relativistic module. Entity is the first PIC code designed to solve the Vlasov–Maxwell system in general coordinates, enabling a coordinate-agnostic framework that provides the foundational structure for straightforward extension to arbitrary coordinate geometries. The core methodology achieves numerical stability by solving particle equations of motion in the global orthonormal Cartesian basis, despite using generalized coordinates like Cartesian, axisymmetric spherical, and quasi-spherical grids. Charge conservation is ensured via a specialized current deposition technique using conformal currents. The code exhibits robust scalability and performance portability on major GPU platforms (AMD MI250X, NVIDIA A100, and Intel Max Series), with the 3D particle pusher and the current deposition operating efficiently at about 2 ns per particle per time step. Functionality is validated through a comprehensive suite of standard Cartesian plasma tests and the accurate modeling of relativistic magnetospheres in curvilinear axisymmetric geometries.

Hakobyan, Hayk [Flatiron Institute, New York, NY (↗

DOE OSTI2024

Dosimetric and biological impact of activity extravasation of radiopharmaceuticals in PET imaging

The increasing use of nuclear medicine and PET imaging has intensified scrutiny of radiotracer extravasation. To our knowledge, this topic is understudied but holds great potential for enhancing our understanding of extravasation in clinical PET imaging. This work aims to (1) quantify the absorbed doses from radiotracer extravasation in PET imaging, both locally at the site of extravasation and with the extravasation location as a source of exposure to bodily organs and (2) assess the biological ramifications within the injection site at the cellular level. A radiation dosimetry simulation was performed using a whole-body 4D Extended Cardiac-Torso (XCAT) phantom embedded in the GATE Monte Carlo platform. A 10-mCi dose of 18 F-FDG was chosen to simulate a typical clinical PET scan scenario, with 10% of the activity extravasated in the antecubital fossa of the right arm of the phantom. The extravasation volume was modeled as a 5.5 mL rectangle in the hypodermal layer of skin. Absorbed dose contributions were calculated for the first two half-lives, assuming biological clearance thereafter. Dose calculations were performed as absorbed doses at the organ and skin levels. Energy deposition was simulated both at the local extravasation site and in multiple organs of interest and converted to absorbed doses based on their respective masses. Each simulation was repeated ten times to estimate Monte Carlo uncertainties. Biological impacts on cells within the extravasated volume were evaluated by randomizing cells and exposing them to a uniform radiation source of 18 F and 68 Ga. Particle types, their energies, and direction cosines were recorded in phase space files using a separate Geant4 simulation to characterize their entry into the nucleus of the cellular volume. Subsequently, the phase space files were imported into the TOPAS-nBio simulation to assess the extent of DNA damage, including double-strand breaks (DSBs) and single-strand breaks (SSBs). Organ-level dosimetric estimations are presented for 18 F and 68 Ga radionuclides in various organs of interest. With 10% extravasation, the hypodermal layer of the skin received the highest absorbed dose of 1.32 ± 0.01 Gy for 18 F and 0.99 ± 0.01 Gy for 68 Ga. The epidermal and dermal layers received absorbed doses of 0.07 ± 0.01 Gy and 0.13 ± 0.01 Gy for 18 F, and 0.14 ± 0.01 Gy and 0.29 ± 0.01 Gy for 68 Ga, respectively. In the extravasated volume, 18 F caused an average absorbed dose per nucleus of 0.17 ± 0.01 Gy, estimated to result in 10.58 ± 0.50 DSBs and 268.11 ± 12.43 SSBs per nucleus. For 68 Ga, the absorbed dose per nucleus was 0.11 ± 0.01 Gy, leading to an estimated 6.49 ± 0.34 DSBs and 161.24 ± 8.12 SSBs per nucleus. Absorbed doses in other organs were on the order of micro-gray (µGy). The likelihood of epidermal erythema resulting from extravasation during PET imaging is low, as the simulated absorbed doses to the epidermis remain below the thresholds that trigger such effects. Moreover, the organ-level absorbed doses were found to be clinically insignificant across various simulated organs. The minimal DNA damage at the extravasation site suggests that long-term harm, such as radiation-induced carcinogenesis, is highly unlikely.

DNA strand breaks↗

DOE OSTI2020

Non-monotonic behavior of the lateral diffusivity in an adsorbate as a function of the surface coverage

Diffusion dynamics of adsorbate particles confined on a surface strongly depends on the adsorbate surface coverage. Our molecular dynamics simulation reveals that the average lateral diffusivity of the Lennard-Jones adsorbate on a flat substrate varies non-monotonically with the surface coverage. Given that the adsorbate becomes stratified into distinct layers, we propose a novel approach to analyze the lateral diffusion of the adsorbate particles in different layers, via dividing the total lateral diffusion into consecutive lateral diffusion processes, separated by the layer boundary crossing events. A new definition of the lateral diffusivity in the specific layer has been introduced, and it is revealed that the total lateral diffusivity is equal to the sum of lateral diffusivities in different layers. Furthermore, the non-monotonic behavior of the average lateral diffusivity with the surface coverage is found to result from the difference in behavior of the lateral diffusivity between the first and other layers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Redox-Based Chemical Looping Large-Scale Air Separation Unit Designs Using Perovskite Material

Oxygen production by means of air separation through redox cycle reactions of Sr 1–x Ca x FeO 3-δ perovskite particles is examined numerically in the context of modular large-scale units. Fixed-bed, multicomponent reactor designs allowing for the recovery of the energy released by the exothermic oxidation (or adsorption) to enhance the endothermic reduction (or desorption) of the perovskite material are considered and compared against a baseline cylindrical packed bed. Numerically, the gas–solid reacting system is approximated as a single-phase reacting gas flow through a porous medium of constant porosity. The redox kinetics account for the oxygen nonstoichiometry of the perovskite, which exhibits a dependence on the temperature and the oxygen partial pressure, in order to describe some mechanisms of the oxygen vacancies. Results show that the spontaneous release of the oxygen from the lattice arrangements, through the thermal management of the heat of the oxidation reaction from the geometrical design of the reactors, can be enhanced up to 4% with respect to the baseline oxygen production of 0.201 g O 2 ·h –1 ·g perovskite –1 with the cylindrical packed bed, in the condition of operations in this work, at 500 °C. Sensitivity to the operation temperature showed that the oxygen production is greatly enhanced by approximately 30% with the increase of the temperature from 500 to 550 °C. We report this result is consistent with experimental observations of faster release of the oxygen from the lattice arrangements of this perovskite at 550 °C.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2021

Liquid crystalline behavior and photoluminescence of lanthanide decanoate nanoparticles synthesized by microwave radiation

Luminescent lanthanide decanoate nanoparticles (LnC 10 NPs; Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Er) with spherical morphology (<100 nm) have been synthesized via a facile microwave (MWV) method using Ln(NO 3 ) 3 ·xH 2 O, ethanol/water, and decanoic acid. These hybrid nanomaterials adopt a lamellar structure consisting of inorganic Ln 3+ layers separated by a decanoate anion bilayer and exhibit liquid crystalline (LC) phases during melting. The particle size, crystalline structure, and LC behavior were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction (ambient and heated). Thermal analysis indicated the formation of Smectic A LC phases by LnC 10 nanoparticles, with the smaller lanthanides (Ln = Sm, Gd, Er) displaying additional solid intermediate and Smectic C phases. The formation of LC phases by the smaller Ln 3+ suggests that these nanoscale materials have vastly different thermal properties than their bulk counterparts, which do not exhibit LC behavior. In this work, photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed the LnC 10 NPs to be highly optically active, producing strong visible emissions that corresponded to expected electronic transitions by the various Ln 3+ ions. Under long-wave UV irradiation (λ = 365 nm), bright visible luminescence was observed for colloidal suspensions of Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, and ErC 10 NPs. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported synthesis of nanoscale metal alkanoates, the first report of liquid crystalline behavior by any decanoate of lanthanides smaller than Nd, and the first observation of strong visible luminescence by non-vitrified lanthanide alkanoates.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Dynamical Complexity of Non-Gaussian Many-Body Systems with Dissipation

We characterize the dynamical state of many-body bosonic and fermionic many-body models with intersite Gaussian couplings, on-site non-Gaussian interactions, and local dissipation comprising incoherent particle loss, particle gain, and dephasing. We first establish that, for fermionic systems, if the dephasing noise is larger than the non-Gaussian interactions, irrespective of the Gaussian coupling strength, the system state is a convex combination of Gaussian states at all times. Furthermore, for bosonic systems, we show that if the particle loss and particle gain rates are larger than the Gaussian intersite couplings, the system remains in a separable state at all times. Building on this characterization, we establish that at noise rates above a threshold, there exists a classical algorithm that can efficiently sample from the system state of both the fermionic and bosonic models. Finally, we show that, unlike fermionic systems, bosonic systems can evolve into states that are not convex Gaussian even when the dissipation is much higher than the on-site non-Gaussianity. Similarly, unlike bosonic systems, fermionic systems can generate entanglement even with noise rates much larger than the intersite couplings.

Computational complexity↗

DOE OSTI2022

Heavy Flavor and Jet Studies for the Future Electron-Ion Collider to Explore the Hadronization Process

Heavy flavor production at the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) will allow us to precisely determine the quark/gluon fragmentation processes in vacuum and the nuclear medium especially within the poorly constrained kinematic region. Heavy flavor hadron and jet reconstructions with the recent EIC detector design have been studied in simulation. Results of corresponding physics projections such as the flavor dependent hadron nuclear modification factor R_{eA} R e A in electron+nucleus collisions will be shown. The statistical precision obtained by these proposed heavy flavor measurements for the future EIC provides a strong discriminating power in separating different theoretical predictions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Event Reconstruction for Water-based Liquid Scintillator Detectors

Water Cherenkov and liquid scintillator detectors represent two complementary approaches in neutrino physics. Water Cherenkov detectors provide particle track direction and particle identification (PID) through Cherenkov ring topology, while liquid scintillator detectors offer higher light yield and lower energy thresholds. Water-based liquid scintillator (WbLS) is designed to combine the advantages of both technologies. However, the simultaneous detection of Cherenkov and scintillation light by photosensors introduces significant challenges for event reconstruction. This poster presents event reconstruction studies for WbLS detectors. A likelihood-based reconstruction framework, fiTQun, has been successfully used in Super-Kamiokande to reconstruct water Cherenkov events in cylindrical detectors. We extend and improve this framework to demonstrate event reconstruction in WbLS detectors, enabling the concurrent reconstruction of particle energy, PID, vertex, and direction. The results demonstrate competitive performance in energy resolution, PID separation, and vertex and direction reconstruction, highlighting the strong potential of WbLS for next-generation neutrino experiments.

Xie, Zhenxiong [Minnesota U.] (ORCID:0009000301442↗

DOE OSTI2024

Distinct Mechanism of Anti-Corrosion and Swelling-Adhesion Modeling of Low-Dimensional Nylon-Fluoropolymer Composite Coatings

Compared to other polymers, composite coatings with fluoropolymers as the matrix have attracted considerable interest due to their mechanical performance, chemical stability, and low surface energy. Herein, we present an anticorrosion mechanism of fluoropolymer composite coatings achieved by dispersing varying amounts of polyamide 12 (PA-12) particles over a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) matrix. The choice of PVDF-HFP as a coating matrix was driven by its superior processability and mechanical properties over Teflon, while PA-12 afforded swelling capacity, preventing electrolyte permeation, and inhibiting matrix stress crack propagation. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was assessed mainly by potentiodynamic polarization and impedance measurements while being immersed in a NaCl solution. Our electrochemical measurement findings showed that 0.75% w/w PA-12 in the PVDF-HFP matrix significantly enhanced corrosion protection even after 21 days of immersion. Microscopy, dielectric spectroscopy, surface analysis, and mechanical testing (American Society for Testing and Materials standards) corroborated the results. PVDF-HFP coatings containing a minimum percolation threshold of 0.75 wt % PA-12 with 1 mil thickness on mild steel exhibited a remarkable increase in resistance and film adhesion, and a notable corrosion rate decrease. Finite element analysis simulation with a bilinear traction-separation law confirmed the swelling mechanism and adhesion behavior. Finally, this study highlights the potential of nylon particle dispersion in PVDF-HFP matrices as a practical approach to developing advanced anticorrosion coatings with promising practical applications in various industries.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Separating beam-induced and cosmogenic muon backgrounds in the ICARUS detector

Due to high cosmic ray flux near the earth's surface, the rejection of cosmogenic muon backgrounds is a preeminent concern for particle detectors using Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) technology. One such detector, ICARUS of the short baseline neutrino experiment, also observes muons generated from neutrino interactions with nuclei in the surrounding rock. Our analysis exploits the differences between cosmogenic and rock-generated muons to separate rock-generated muons from the background. We develop a selection with 96.5\% efficiency and 81\% accuracy. Use of this selection on data and Monte-Carlo indicates monte-carlo may underestimate the true rock muon flux. These results have implications for calibration of the ICARUS detector and tuning of simulation.

Wells, David↗

DOE OSTI2025

Utilization of the LS-APGD microplasma/orbitrap-FTMS booster system for detection and isotopic analysis of neodymium nanoparticles

Detection and isotopic analysis of particle populations has seen rapid growth across several application areas, including environmental analysis, nuclear forensics, and food safety. The ability to characterize the particles' unique elemental and isotopic fingerprints could provide information related to formation, processing history, and transport. Regarding nuclear forensics, isotopic analysis of particles derived from diverse materials is often used as a tool to trace the origin and processing history. Mass spectrometric-based techniques currently used for particle population analysis often suffer from limited mass resolution, particularly when dealing with real-world samples that are affected by isobaric and polyatomic interferences from the matrix. To address these analytical challenges, we propose a novel method utilizing the liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge (LS-APGD) microplasma ionization source coupled to an ultrahigh resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer, further enhanced with the FTMS X2T Booster data acquisition and processing unit. The FTMS Booster enables acquisition of extended transient times of up to 3 s, significantly improving mass resolution, thereby reducing or even eliminating the need for prior separation of isobaric or polyatomic interferences. Additionally, the detection of low-abundance isotopes was improved by increasing the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. As proof of concept, this study demonstrates the feasibility of the LS-APGD/Orbitrap-FTMS X2T Booster platform for direct analysis using a suspension of well-characterized ∼120 nm neodymium particles. The quality of the isotope ratios values obtained from a few hundred particles were in good agreement with those obtained from homogeneous ionic solutions. These results highlight the potential of the LS-APGD/Orbitrap platform for rapid, accurate, and interference-resilient isotope ratio analysis of particle populations without the need for dissolution and subsequent chemical separations, offering significant advantages for nuclear forensics, safeguards, and environmental applications. The effort here also points to further paths forward, hopefully towards single particle (SP) analysis using microplasma ionization and the ultrahigh resolving power of the Orbitrap mass analyzer.

FTMS X2T booster↗