Relationship of heterogeneous nucleation and condensational growth on aerosol nanoparticles

Smorodin, VY; Hopke, PK

HERO ID

4936665

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2006

HERO ID 4936665
In Press No
Year 2006
Title Relationship of heterogeneous nucleation and condensational growth on aerosol nanoparticles
Authors Smorodin, VY; Hopke, PK
Journal Atmospheric Research
Volume 82
Issue 3-4
Page Numbers 591-604
Abstract Heterogeneous nucleation and condensation of dibutylphthalate, octadecane, octadecanol, and octadecanoic acid vapors at various pressures on insoluble AgCl and Ag nanoparticles in a turbulent mixing condensation nuclei counter (TMCNC) have been studied theoretically. A method to interpret the particle size distributions measured with a DMA and estimate the parameters for nucleation on single particles is proposed. Based on this semi-empirical method, the Gibbs free energy is calculated and a rate of heterogeneous nucleation on single particles is estimated directly from the experimental "condensation spectra" of inactive and active CN using the DMA data. In some cases, the dependence of the Gibbs nucleation energy on the vapor supersaturation had two maximums and one minimum, instead of one maximum as described by Gibbs' classical thermodynamics of phase transitions. This phenomenon, called "double barrier nucleation" (DBN) is caused by the surface heterogeneity of nano-CN; this is first experimental verification of DBN that had been previously predicted theoretically. Two types of heterogeneity may be present: topographic or energetic. Focusing on energetic heterogeneity, a theoretical model of DBN for spherical geometry is developed. The surface heterogeneity for insoluble nano-sized CN is shown to be critical to explaining the unusual transformation of a monomodal size distribution of inactive CN into a bimodal distribution of activated CN when coagulation is excluded. Future studies will be directed toward more data for further refining the theory and developing a model that simultaneously accounts for both types of surface heterogeneity of nano-CN. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Doi 10.1016/j.atmosres.2006.02.015
Wosid WOS:000242926500013
Url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169809506000792
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Keyword aerosols; condensation; condensation nuclei; condensation nuclei counter; nucleation; nanoparticles; surface heterogeneity