Use of an ionizing device, device and method for ionizing a gaseous substance and device and method for analyzing a gaseous ionized substance

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of ionizing a gaseous substance, in particular the ionizing or ionization of a gaseous substance in preparation for its analysis. A device is intended to make a discharge gas and a test substance ionizable in a flow-through mode without essentially destroying or fragmenting the sample substance. In order to avoid a high expenditure in terms of construction and equipment, the device is intended to be usable under ambient conditions and to ensure a high sensitivity in a possible analysis of an ionized substance. To this end, an ionizing device is used for flow-through ionization of a discharge gas and of a sample substance at an absolute pressure of more than 40 kPa in the ionizing device during ionization. The ionizing device comprises an inlet, an outlet, a first electrode, a dielectric element and a second electrode. The dielectric element is configured in the shape of a hollow body having an inner side and an outer side and it allows a flow of the discharge gas and of the sample substance therethrough in a flow direction. The first electrode is arranged outside of the outer side of the dielectric element. The second electrode is arranged, at least sectionwise, inside the dielectric element, is surrounded by the inner side of the dielectric element perpendicularly to the flow direction, and allows a flow of the discharge gas and of the sample substance therethrough or therearound. A distance in or contrary to the flow direction exists between the associated ends of the first and second electrodes and lies between −5 mm to 5 mm. A dielectric barrier discharge is establishable in a dielectric barrier discharge region by applying a voltage between the first and second electrodes so as to ionize the discharge gas or the sample substance.