Molecular beams of macroions. III. Zein and polyvinylpyrrolidone

A 95% ethanol solution of the prolamin zein and of the synthetic polymer polyvinyl‐pyrrolidone (PVP) can be successfully electrosprayed and a molecular beam, containing ions of these substances in nitrogen carrier gas, formed. Similarly to polystyrene in benzene–acetone solvent, negative beams of zein and PVP have more substructure than beams containing positive ions. The results indicate considerable aggregation in the beam, possibly of six molecular units per aggregate, in addition to the singly charged single molecules.