Title: Online ion mobility spectrometry of nanoparticle formation by non-thermal plasma conversion of metal salts in liquid aerosol droplets

Abstract

The synthesis of nanoparticles by reaction of liquid aerosol droplets containing precursors in a flow-through, atmospheric-pressure, non-thermal plasma offers a continuous, scalable, substrate- and stabilizer-free approach for direct deposition into liquids or onto soft substrates. However, the combination of multiphase and non-equilibrium chemistry makes the process complicated and poorly understood. Here, we present ion mobility spectrometry measurements of liquid water droplets containing silver nitrate passing through an atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge reactor that allows us to monitor silver nanoparticle formation online for the first time. Mobility diameter distributions were obtained with the plasma on and off, and exhibited a shift, which was related to the degree of conversion of silver nitrate. The silver nanoparticles were also collected and characterized by UV–visible absorbance spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy to support the online measurements. Importantly, negligible conversion was found when the water was removed by a diffusion dryer, suggesting that the key reducing species are in the liquid phase, such as solvated electrons. Finally, the study demonstrates how ion mobility spectrometry measurements can be applied to provide insight into this approach to nanoparticle synthesis.

Authors:

Gallingani, Tommaso ^[1]; Abuyazid, Nabiel H.  ^[2];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Abuyazid, Nabiel H."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0003-1535-6918"

Colombo, Vittorio ^[3]; Gherardi, Matteo  ^[4];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Gherardi, Matteo"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-6995-6754"

Sankaran, R. Mohan  ^[2]

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Sankaran, R. Mohan"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-9399-4790"

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Università di Bologna, Bologna (Italy). Alma Mater Studiorum. Dept. of Industrial Engineering
2. Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
3. Università di Bologna, Bologna (Italy). Alma Mater Studiorum. Dept. of Industrial Engineering; Università di Bologna, Bologna (Italy). Alma Mater Studiorum. Advanced Applications in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology. Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research
4. Università di Bologna, Bologna (Italy). Alma Mater Studiorum. Dept. of Industrial Engineering; Università di Bologna, Bologna (Italy). Alma Mater Studiorum. Advanced Applications in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology. Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research

Publication Date:

Thu Aug 13 00:00:00 EDT 2020

Research Org.:

Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

OSTI Identifier:

1852541

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1659538

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0018202; FA9550-19-1-0088

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Journal of Aerosol Science

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 150; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8502

Publisher:

Elsevier

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

42 ENGINEERING; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; engineering; environmental sciences & ecology; meteorology & atmospheric sciences; ion mobility spectrometry; nanoparticles; liquid droplets; plasma