Bruker timsTOFfleX Instrument

The Bruker timsTOFfleX represents an ion mobility-quadrupole-time-of-flight (IM-Q-TOF) type of instrument. It is equipped with an ESI-to-MALDI switchable ion source (as we have on the Bruker ApexQe FT-ICR instrument) that is delivering ions from either ionization technique to the mass analyzer via an integrated trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) stage. Ion mobility separation is based on collision cross section of ions traveling through the gas phase. IMS is performed on the 50-ms timescale, and thus, can effect separation during any analysis. The timsTOF series of instruments is capable of tandem MS, delivers spectra at high resolution, and with accurate mass at very good level independent of the ionization method.

The Bruker timsTOF fleX instrument had been granted by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, INST 35/1640-1 FUGG) end of January 2021 to OCI and has been installed here in June 2021.

So far, we have impressive results with MALDI, in particular in terms of m/z range and mass accuracy across the entire m/z range. The instrument is also operated in ESI and APCI modes. On the lon term, the DART source also will be used in combination with this instrument.