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Title: Oxidation of a model alkane aerosol by OH radical: the emergent nature of reactive uptake

Journal Article · · Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c4cp05093b· OSTI ID:1512167
 [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Chemical Sciences Division
  2. Columbia Hill Technical Consulting, Fremont, CA (United States)

An accurate description of the evolution of organic aerosol in the Earth’s atmosphere is essential for climate models. However, the complexity of multiphase chemical and physical transformations has been challenging to describe at the level required to predict aerosol lifetimes and changes in chemical composition. In this work a model is presented that reproduces experimental data for the early stages of oxidative aging of squalane aerosol by hydroxyl radical (OH), a process governed by reactive uptake of gas phase species onto the particle surface. Simulations coupling free radical reactions and Fickian diffusion are used to elucidate how the measured uptake coefficient reflects the elementary steps of sticking of OH to the aerosol as a result of a gas-surface collision, followed by very rapid abstraction of hydrogen and subsequent free radical reactions. It is found that the uptake coefficient is not equivalent to a sticking coefficient or an accommodation coefficient: it is an intrinsically emergent process that depends upon particle size, viscosity, and OH concentration. An expression is derived to examine how these factors control reactive uptake over a broad range of atmospheric and laboratory conditions, and is shown to be consistent with simulation results. Well-mixed, liquid behavior is found to depend on the reaction conditions in addition to the nature of the organic species in the aerosol particle.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1512167
Journal Information:
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP, Vol. 17, Issue 6; ISSN 1463-9076
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 58 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (20)

Heterogeneous chemistry and reaction dynamics of the atmospheric oxidants, O 3 , NO 3 , and OH, on organic surfaces journal January 2016
Nanoscale interfacial gradients formed by the reactive uptake of OH radicals onto viscous aerosol surfaces journal January 2015
Sucrose diffusion in aqueous solution journal January 2016
Effect of surface–bulk partitioning on the heterogeneous oxidation of aqueous saccharide aerosols journal January 2019
Visualizing reaction and diffusion in xanthan gum aerosol particles exposed to ozone journal January 2019
Real-space laser-induced fluorescence imaging applied to gas-liquid interfacial scattering journal August 2019
Effect of Bulk Composition on the Heterogeneous Oxidation of Semi-Solid Atmospheric Aerosols journal December 2019
The effect of viscosity and diffusion on the HO 2 uptake by sucrose and secondary organic aerosol particles journal January 2016
Effect of varying experimental conditions on the viscosity of α -pinene derived secondary organic material journal January 2016
Relative humidity-dependent viscosity of secondary organic material from toluene photo-oxidation and possible implications for organic particulate matter over megacities journal January 2016
Compositional evolution of particle-phase reaction products and water in the heterogeneous OH oxidation of model aqueous organic aerosols journal January 2017
Diffusion coefficients of organic molecules in sucrose–water solutions and comparison with Stokes–Einstein predictions journal January 2017
The effect of hydroxyl functional groups and molar mass on the viscosity of non-crystalline organic and organic–water particles journal January 2017
Liquid–liquid phase separation in organic particles containing one and two organic species: importance of the average O : C journal January 2018
Influence of relative humidity on the heterogeneous oxidation of secondary organic aerosol journal January 2018
Liquid–liquid phase separation and viscosity within secondary organic aerosol generated from diesel fuel vapors journal January 2019
Viscosities, diffusion coefficients, and mixing times of intrinsic fluorescent organic molecules in brown limonene secondary organic aerosol and tests of the Stokes–Einstein equation journal January 2019
Viscosity of erythritol and erythritol–water particles as a function of water activity: new results and an intercomparison of techniques for measuring the viscosity of particles journal January 2018
Visualizing reaction and diffusion in xanthan gum aerosol particles exposed to ozone text January 2019
Effect of varying experimental conditions on the viscosity of α-pinene derived secondary organic material null January 2016

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