HR: 1340h
AN: A33B-0888    [Abstracts]
TI: Development and Performance of Charged Nano Particle Collector
AU: * Zhao, Y
EM: yjzhao@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California-Davis, 2132 Bainer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Wexler, A S
EM: aswexler@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California-Davis, 2132 Bainer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AB: Nucleation events have been observed at many sites worldwide, but the mechanism of the nucleation process is not clear - several hypotheses have been posed to explain these events. To obtain further insight into the chemical composition of these nano particles, a Nano Particle Collector (Nano PC) has been developed based the size dependence of particle mobility. We constructed a narrow slot mobility spectrometer with the air flow perpendicular to the electric field. In conventional particle mobility spectrometers, the Reynolds number of the sheath flow is governed by the electrode spacing whereas in a narrow slot mobility spectrometer, the Reynolds number is governed by the slot width allowing much higher mobility particles to be analyzed. Sheath and sample gases pass through the spectrometer and the field causes particle migration towards a collection surface. By adjusting the flow speed and electric field strength, charged particles less than 10 nm can be collected on a 3" long substrate or on TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) grids. To test the Nano PC, a TSI atomizer was used to generate nano particles, particle sizes were confirmed with a TEM, and composition was analyzed using XRF and EELS. Nano PC theory, design and test results will be shown in this presentation.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005