Chemistry and Microphysics of the Small Particles (Zelenyuk's BES-Particles, PNNL Scope #47327)
EMSL Project ID
17498
Abstract
Nanoparticles play an important role in many areas. The unique properties of matter on the nanometer size range are a new frontier in science and technology with the potential to revolutionize our lives. Atmospheric nanoparticles affect our health, impair visibility, and impact climate change. This program aims to develop and apply unique tools to study the fundamental processes that govern the chemistry and microphysics of particles on the nano and micro scales. At the center of the program is an instrumentation system designed to measure the transformations of individual size-selected nanoparticles in real-time. Combining the aerosol flow reactor with differential mobility analyzers and a single particle mass spectrometer enables unprecedented detailed studies of particle properties and processes. In this field, properties are a strong function of size, shape and composition. We are developing tools to simultaneously monitor changes in size, shape, density, fractal dimension, optical properties, and fluorescence spectra of each individual particle. To take full advantage of the vast amounts of detailed data that this system produces, we have developed a data mining and visualization software that we call SpectraMiner. It allows for data exploration on a multitude of levels ranging from individual particles to classes representing millions of particles by clicking a mouse on the hierarchical tree. This hardware?software system will make it possible to characterize properties of atmospheric, core-shell nanoparticles, and particles generated by spray pyrolysis and flames and study the processes that control their formation and transformations.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2006-01-13
End Date
2007-06-06
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members