Plasmion

Plasmion GmbH, established in Augsburg, Germany, in 2016, is a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich focused on simplifying chemical analysis. The company was brought to market in 2018 with backing from venture capital and angel investors. The CTO, Dr. Jan-Christoph Wolf, possesses a deep background in analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry from his doctoral work and postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich, where he became an expert in ambient ionization methods. This expertise is foundational to the company's core technology.

Plasmion's business centers on its patented SICRIT® (Soft Ionization by Chemical Reaction in Transfer) technology, an advanced ion source for mass spectrometers. The company operates on a B2B model, manufacturing and selling these chemical sensor systems to clients in laboratory analysis and industrial sectors. Its revenue is generated through the sale of hardware, including the SICRIT® ion source, control units, and modules for coupling with chromatography systems, as well as software. The technology serves a global market, with a sales and service network across Europe, Asia, the USA, Italy, Egypt, and the UAE.

The SICRIT® ion source is engineered as a plug-and-play extension for existing mass spectrometers with an atmospheric pressure inlet (API). Unlike conventional methods that ionize a sample before it enters the instrument, SICRIT® ionizes all molecules as they are drawn into the mass spectrometer's vacuum. This is achieved through a contained, cold plasma generated by a dielectric barrier discharge. A key advantage of this flow-through ionization process is the elimination of complex sample preparation, allowing for real-time analysis of solid, liquid, or gaseous samples directly from the ambient environment. The technology is characterized as a "soft" ionization method, which minimizes the fragmentation of molecules during analysis and boasts high sensitivity. This single source can ionize a wide spectrum of analytes, from polar to non-polar, a task that would typically require multiple different ionization techniques. Plasmion also offers the HaVoc product line, a complete sensory system for the industrial real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Keywords: mass spectrometry, ion source, chemical analysis, SICRIT, ambient ionization, sensor technology, analytical instruments, laboratory equipment, process control, forensics, medical diagnostics, food safety, aroma sensing, VOC monitoring, dielectric barrier discharge, real-time analysis, plug and play, chromatography coupling, atmospheric pressure ionization, chemical sensors