An ion chromatography-mass spectrometry (IC-MS) method to meet the analytical need of understanding the sample composition and degradation byproduct in simulated battery electrolytes. Integrating an organic solvent gradient, this method achieves excellent separation of many analytes allowing lithium-ion battery (LIB) manufacturers and researchers to gain knoledge to improve quality assurance, quality control and failure analysis processes to ensure the battery's performance.

Performance demonstration of a compact, easy-to-use Thermo Scientific Dionex Inuvion system.

This application demonstrated an improved method for the determination of tetrafluoroborate, perchlorate, and hexafluorophosphate in simulated lithium-ion battery production samples using a RFIC system with suppressed conductivity detection, and 2 mm versions of Dionex IonPac AS20 columns. This method significantly reduces eluent consumption and thus prolongs the life of the EGC as flow rate is reduced from 1.2 to 0.3 mL/min. The method has a linear calibration over the concentration range of 1 to 40 mg/L and was shown to be precise and accurate.

Chlorate and other oxychlorine species have been associated with inhibition of iodine uptake in humans and the formation of methemoglobin. Infants and young children are at high‐risk due to their greater dependency on milk products and higher consumption/body weight ratio. This method uses a Dionex™ IonPac™ AS20 column set, on a compact IC system (Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ Integrion™ HPIC system) coupled with a Thermo Scientific™ ISQ EC™ single quadrupole mass spectrometer to quantify chlorate and perchlorate in milk with a simple sample preparation.

Food can be contaminated by chlorate and perchlorate during different stages of production. Recent reports by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), found that current levels of chlorate in drinking water and in foods were too high and could negatively impact iodine uptake especially among infants and children. This method uses a Dionex™ IonPac™ AS20 column set, on a compact IC system (Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ Integrion™ HPIC system) coupled with a Thermo Scientific™ ISQ EC™ single quadrupole mass spectrometer to determine chlorate and perchlorate in powdered infant formula.