Contaminants and unbound proteins are then washed away. After washing the sample, an energy absorbing matrix, such as sinapinic acid (SPA) or α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA), is applied to the surface and allowed to crystallize with the sample.
The removal of contaminants and unbound proteins precedes washing the sample. Following this step, an energy-absorbing matrix, such as sinapinic acid or α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, is applied to the sample surface and allowed to solidify.