Exum’s Massbox: Bringing Invisible Science to Life

A brand new animation created for Exum’s Massbox® platform takes viewers inside the instrument, revealing the science behind its advanced elemental analysis technology and showing how a complex analytical process works from sample to result.

Massbox combines Laser Ablation Laser Ionization with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS) to analyse solid materials using a dual-laser system.

The first laser removes material from the surface of a sample, creating a plume of particles. A second laser then ionises neutral particles within that plume. The resulting ions are transported through the instrument, where they are separated according to their mass-to-charge characteristics using time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

For a viewer, however, none of this is easy to see.

The physical processes happen too quickly and at scales far beyond what conventional filming can capture. This is where 3D animation becomes particularly powerful.

From solid sample to elemental insight

Massbox is designed to bring sophisticated elemental analysis closer to the point where materials are being developed, manufactured and investigated.

The platform provides quantitative elemental analysis, elemental mapping across areas of up to 90 × 90 mm, and three-dimensional depth profiling. Exum states that the system can analyse elements across the periodic table, from lithium through to uranium, while also providing spatial information about their distribution within a material.

These capabilities have applications across areas including battery research, additive manufacturing, advanced materials and critical minerals.

By reducing the need for extensive sample preparation associated with some traditional analytical workflows, Massbox is designed to make advanced analysis faster and more accessible.

About Exum Instruments and Massbox

Exum Instruments develops analytical instrumentation designed to provide accessible, user-friendly chemistry at the point of need. Its Massbox platform combines Laser Ablation Laser Ionization with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry to deliver elemental analysis of solid materials, including quantitative analysis, elemental mapping and depth profiling.

Explore Massbox at Exum Instruments

About Cambridge Filmworks

Cambridge Filmworks is an award-winning Cambridge-based film, video, animation and content production company. Its work includes promotional films, documentaries, scientific and technical communications, 2D and 3D animation, editing, graphics and visual effects.

The company creates visual content for organisations working across science, technology, healthcare, education and other specialist sectors.

Cambridge Filmworks

www.cambridgefilmworks.com