Researchers have utilized triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), generators capable of converting mechanical energy from the environment into power for small devices, to optimize the charging of molecules. By optimizing the charging of molecules, researchers aim to significantly increase the sensitivity of mass spectrometers.
At the Georgia Institute of Technology, optimization of mass spec sensitivity was accomplished, along with the ability of TENGs to allow researchers to use smaller sample volumes. Their research study is published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.