Continuous fiber printing of a modular heater for ion mobility spectrometry

• Innovative 3D printing Integration : the study utilizes advanced 3D printing technology to fabricate a customized heating element for a drift tube ion mobility spectrometer (DTIMS), demonstrating a novel approach to improving component design and functionality. • Customized heating element Creation : a continuous fiber printer was employed to embed a copper wire within a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) matrix, creating a heating structure with enhanced mechanical properties and precise temperature control. • Enhanced analytical Performance : the 3D printed heater enabled temperature control within the DTIMS, leading to improved separation of ketones (2-Butanone, 2-Pentanone, 2-Hexanone, and 2-Octanone) and enhancing the resolution of overlapping peaks. • Material selection for superior Performance : the use of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) as the matrix material, chosen for its low off-gassing and high thermal stability, exemplifies a deliberate choice to enhance the analytical properties of the DTIMS, compared to more commonly used materials like polylactic acid (PLA). • Versatility and Customization : the study demonstrates the flexibility of 3D printing in customizing and rapidly prototyping complex analytical instrument components, paving the way for future innovations in IMS device design and functionality. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a powerful analytical method for separating and detecting gaseous substances like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is highly versatile, used both as a standalone technique and in combination with chromatographic methods for pre-separation or mass spectrometry for complex matrix analysis. This study explores the use of an advanced 3D printing technology to print a heater for an IMS-device. A continuous fiber printer, commonly used to enhance the mechanical properties of printed objects, was used to create a customized heating element by embedding a copper wire within the polymer matrix during the printing process. Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) was chosen as the matrix material due to its analytical properties, such as low off-gassing and higher thermal stability, compared to the more commonly used polylactic acid (PLA). The 3D printed heater was incorporated into a drift tube ion mobility spectrometer, and its performance was evaluated by analyzing the separation of various ketones. The results show that the 3D printed heater effectively controlled the temperature within the drift tube, improving the resolving power of overlapping peaks. This study shows the potential of 3D printing technology to improve fabrication and functionality of IMS devices. The flexibility in design and material selection afforded by 3D printing not only enhances the analytical performance of IMS but also allows for customization and rapid prototyping of other analytical instruments or laboratory devices.