ISSN:
1089-7623
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
,
Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Control Technology
Notes:
An aerosol generation system is described that enables the production of precise mass flow streams of well-characterized, submicron-sized aerosol particles. A pneumatic-type nebulizer is used to nebulize aqueous solutions of dissolved metals, which subsequently dry in a gaseous co-flow, producing a gaseous stream of dispersed, fine solid particles with a known mass concentration. Gravimetric calibration of nebulizer demonstrates the precise nature of the device for aerosol generation. Representative iron-based (spherical) and titanium-based (nonspherical) particles are analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Both aqueous metals form metallic oxides, namely, FeO and TiO, and the measured particle sizes are in the range 10–100 nm. The measured particle size and composition are used to calculate the size distribution of droplets produced by the nebulizer, which yield a mean droplet diameter of 524 nm. The nebulizer droplet distribution is well described by a log–normal distribution. Using the aerosol generator as a calibration source of aerosol particles for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, linear calibration curves were produced for titanium over mass concentrations ranging from 0 to 4425 μg/m3. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1391440
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