Peter T. A. Reilly
Staff Scientist

Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago

Research Interests:

Characterization of aerosols by mass spectrometry;
Development of aerosol-based MALDI of biomolecules in an ion trap;
mass spectrometry of bacteria, chemical weapons agents, explosives;
isotope mass spectral analysis of single airborne particles;
analysis of the formation of elemental carbon by hydrocarbon pyrolysis, formation of carbon nanotubes and carbon composites;
digital ion trap development; development of miniature ion trap mass spectrometers;
development of methods and instrumentation to extend the working range of mass spectrometry to the gigadalton range.

Professional Societies:

American Chemical Society,
American Society for Mass Spectrometry
American Association for Aerosol Research
East Tennessee Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group
American Flame Research Committee

U. S. Patents:

1. Peter T. A. Reilly, "Synthesis of Condensed Phases Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Fullerenes and Nanotubes" Filed Sept. 17, 1999. Issued Oct. 19, 2004, Patent number: 6806397
2. Peter T. A. Reilly, "Ultra High Mass Range Mass Spectrometer Systems", Filed Sept. 30, 2004, Issued Dec. 6, 2005, Patent number: 6972408
3. Peter T. A. Reilly, "Precursor Soot Synthesis of Fullerenes and Nanotubes Without Formation of Carbonaceous Soot" Filed March 25, 2002. Issued March 20, 2007, Patent number 7192567
4. Peter T.A. Reilly, "Sensitive Glow Discharge Ion Source for Aerosol and Gas Analysis", Patent Application Number 11/172,330, Filing date June 30, 2005, Published Feb. 1, 2007

Selected Publications

1. Koizumi, H., W.B. Whitten, P.T.A. Reilly, and E. Koizumi, Derivation of Mathematical Expressions to Define Resonant Ejection from Square and Sinusoidal Wave Ion Traps. Internat. J. Mass Spectro., 286, 64-69 (2009).

2. Koizumi, H., X. Wang, W. B. Whitten, and P.T.A. Reilly, Controlling the Expansion into Vacuum—the Enabling Technology for Trapping Atmosphere-Sampled Particulate Ions. J. Amer. Soc. Mass Spectro.19, 1942-1947 (2009).

3. Koizumi, H., W. B. Whitten, P.T.A. Reilly, and E. Koizumi, The Effect of Endcap Electrode Holes on the Resonant Ejection from an Ion Trap. Internat. J. Mass Spectro, 281, 108-114 (2008).

4. Koizumi, H., W. B. Whitten, and P.T.A. Reilly, Trapping of Intact, Singly-Charged, Bovine Serum Albumin Ions Injected from the Atmosphere with a 10-cm Diameter, Frequency-Adjusted, Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap, J. Amer. Soc. Mass Spectro. 281, 1942-1947 (2008).

5. Wasel, W., et al., "Experimental characterization of the role of hydrogen in CVD synthesis of MWCNTs", Carbon, 45, 833-838 (2007).

6. Harris, W.A., P.T.A. Reilly, and W.B. Whitten, "Detection of chemical warfare-related species on complex aerosol particles deposited on surfaces using an ion trap-based aerosol mass spectrometer", Anal. Chem., 79, 2354-2358 (2007).

7. Reilly, P.T.A. and W.B. Whitten, "The role of free radical condensates in the production of carbon nanotubes during the hydrocarbon CVD process", Carbon, 44, 1653-1660 (2006).

8. Harris, W.A., P.T.A. Reilly, and W.B. Whitten, "Aerosol MALDI of peptides and proteins in an ion trap mass spectrometer: Trapping, resolution and signal-to-noise", Internat. J. Mass Spectrom., 258, 113-119 (2006).

9. Harris, W.A., P.T.A. Reilly, and W.B. Whitten, "MALDI of individual biomolecule-containing airborne particles in an ion trap mass spectrometer", Anal. Chem., 77, 4042-4050 (2005).

10. Harris, W.A., et al., "Transportable real-time single-particle ion trap mass spectrometer", Rev. Sci. Instrum., 76, (2005).

11. Rodgers, R.P., et al., "Real-time observation of metastable polymeric species formed from precursor soot," Chem. Phys. Lett., 397, 324-328 (2004).

12. Reilly, P.T.A., A.C. Lazar, R.A. Gieray, W.B. Whitten, and J.M. Ramsey "The elucidation of charge-transfer-induced matrix effects in environmental aerosols via real-time aerosol mass spectral analysis of individual airborne particles". Aerosol Science and Technology, 33, 135-152 (2000).

13. Reilly, P.T.A., R.A. Gieray, W.B. Whitten, and J.M. Ramsey "Direct observation of the evolution of the soot carbonization process in an acetylene diffusion flame via real-time aerosol mass spectrometry". Combustion and Flame, 122, 90-104 (2000).