Advanced substrates in sol-gel technology for MALDI mass spectrometry

Sol-gel SiO₂ thin films for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) matrices are presented. The layers organically modified with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) and α-cyano 4-hydroxy cinnamic acid (CHCA) to generate hybrid sol-gel films. Hydrolysis and condensation reactions from solution were followed with UV/VIS spectrometry, and ellipsometric characterisation is done with reference to standard SiO₂ layers. The layers are part of an intelligent-surface design program, this application being aimed at reducing matrix-"background" interference in MALDI spectra. The layers were engineered as industrially integrable, having good aging properties, excellent stability under light, as well as good mechanical properties - homogeneous, crack free.