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Showing papers on "Particle published in 2013"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In conclusion, the recent literature, especially on in situ studies, shows that OR is the dominant process causing the growth of nanoparticle size, and this could help to develop sinter-resistant catalysts, with the ultimate goal of designing catalysts that are self-healing.
Abstract: Metal nanoparticles contain the active sites in heterogeneous catalysts, which are important for many industrial applications including the production of clean fuels, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and the cleanup of exhaust from automobiles and stationary power plants. Sintering, or thermal deactivation, is an important mechanism for the loss of catalyst activity. This is especially true for high temperature catalytic processes, such as steam reforming, automotive exhaust treatment, or catalytic combustion. With dwindling supplies of precious metals and increasing demand, fundamental understanding of catalyst sintering is very important for achieving clean energy and a clean environment, and for efficient chemical conversion processes with atom selectivity. Scientists have proposed two mechanisms for sintering of nanoparticles: particle migration and coalescence (PMC) and Ostwald ripening (OR). PMC involves the mobility of particles in a Brownian-like motion on the support surface, with subsequent coalescence leading to nanoparticle growth. In contrast, OR involves the migration of adatoms or mobile molecular species, driven by differences in free energy and local adatom concentrations on the support surface. In this Account, we divide the process of sintering into three phases. Phase I involves rapid loss in catalyst activity (or surface area), phase II is where sintering slows down, and phase III is where the catalyst may reach a stable performance. Much of the previous work is based on inferences from catalysts that were observed before and after long term treatments. While the general phenomena can be captured correctly, the mechanisms cannot be determined. Advancements in the techniques of in situ TEM allow us to observe catalysts at elevated temperatures under working conditions. We review recent evidence obtained via in situ methods to determine the relative importance of PMC and OR in each of these phases of catalyst sintering. The evidence suggests that, in phase I, OR is responsible for the rapid loss of activity that occurs when particles are very small. Surprisingly, very little PMC is observed in this phase. Instead, the rapid loss of activity is caused by the disappearance of the smallest particles. These findings are in good agreement with representative atomistic simulations of sintering. In phase II, sintering slows down since the smallest particles have disappeared. We now see a combination of PMC and OR, but do not fully understand the relative contribution of each of these processes to the overall rates of sintering. In phase III, the particles have grown large and other parasitic phenomena, such as support restructuring, can become important, especially at high temperatures. Examining the evolution of particle size and surface area with time, we do not see a stable or equilibrium state, especially for catalysts operating at elevated temperatures. In conclusion, the recent literature, especially on in situ studies, shows that OR is the dominant process causing the growth of nanoparticle size. Consequently, this leads to the loss of surface area and activity. While particle migration could be controlled through suitable structuring of catalyst supports, it is more difficult to control the mobility of atomically dispersed species. These insights into the mechanisms of sintering could help to develop sinter-resistant catalysts, with the ultimate goal of designing catalysts that are self-healing.

929 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Atomically precise Aun(SR)m nanoclusters are expected to become a promising class of model catalysts that will provide new opportunities for achieving fundamental understanding of metal nanocatalysis, such as insight into size dependence and deep understanding of molecular activation, active centers, and catalytic mechanisms through correlation of behavior with the structures of nanocluster structures.
Abstract: Many industrial catalysts involve nanoscale metal particles (typically 1–100 nm), and understanding their behavior at the molecular level is a major goal in heterogeneous catalyst research. However, conventional nanocatalysts have a nonuniform particle size distribution, while catalytic activity of nanoparticles is size dependent. This makes it difficult to relate the observed catalytic performance, which represents the average of all particle sizes, to the structure and intrinsic properties of individual catalyst particles. To overcome this obstacle, catalysts with well-defined particle size are highly desirable.In recent years, researchers have made remarkable advances in solution-phase synthesis of atomically precise nanoclusters, notably thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters. Such nanoclusters are composed of a precise number of metal atoms (n) and of ligands (m), denoted as Aun(SR)m, with n ranging up to a few hundred atoms (equivalent size up to 2–3 nm). These protected nanoclusters are well-defined ...

832 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that single-domain cubic iron oxide particles resembling bacterial magnetosomes have superior magnetic heating efficiency compared to spherical particles of similar sizes and a quantitative link between the particle assembling, the interactions and the heating properties is established.
Abstract: The performance of magnetic nanoparticles is intimately entwined with their structure, mean size and magnetic anisotropy. Besides, ensembles offer a unique way of engineering the magnetic response by modifying the strength of the dipolar interactions between particles. Here we report on an experimental and theoretical analysis of magnetic hyperthermia, a rapidly developing technique in medical research and oncology. Experimentally, we demonstrate that single-domain cubic iron oxide particles resembling bacterial magnetosomes have superior magnetic heating efficiency compared to spherical particles of similar sizes. Monte Carlo simulations at the atomic level corroborate the larger anisotropy of the cubic particles in comparison with the spherical ones, thus evidencing the beneficial role of surface anisotropy in the improved heating power. Moreover we establish a quantitative link between the particle assembling, the interactions and the heating properties. This knowledge opens new perspectives for improved hyperthermia, an alternative to conventional cancer therapies.

433 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the viscosity of the water-soluble component of secondary organic material (SOM) produced by α-pinene ozonolysis is quantified for 20- to 50-μm particles at 293-295 K.
Abstract: Particles composed of secondary organic material (SOM) are abundant in the lower troposphere. The viscosity of these particles is a fundamental property that is presently poorly quantified yet required for accurate modeling of their formation, growth, evaporation, and environmental impacts. Using two unique techniques, namely a “bead-mobility” technique and a “poke-flow” technique, in conjunction with simulations of fluid flow, the viscosity of the water-soluble component of SOM produced by α-pinene ozonolysis is quantified for 20- to 50-μm particles at 293–295 K. The viscosity is comparable to that of honey at 90% relative humidity (RH), similar to that of peanut butter at 70% RH, and at least as viscous as bitumen at ≤30% RH, implying that the studied SOM ranges from liquid to semisolid or solid across the range of atmospheric RH. These data combined with simple calculations or previous modeling studies are used to show the following: (i) the growth of SOM by the exchange of organic molecules between gas and particle may be confined to the surface region of the particles for RH ≤ 30%; (ii) at ≤30% RH, the particle-mass concentrations of semivolatile and low-volatility organic compounds may be overpredicted by an order of magnitude if instantaneous equilibrium partitioning is assumed in the bulk of SOM particles; and (iii) the diffusivity of semireactive atmospheric oxidants such as ozone may decrease by two to five orders of magnitude for a drop in RH from 90% to 30%. These findings have possible consequences for predictions of air quality, visibility, and climate.

349 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: High-resolution mass spectra of ion clusters observed during new particle formation experiments performed at the Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets chamber at the European Organization for Nuclear Research confirm that oxidized organics are involved in both the formation and growth of particles under ambient conditions.
Abstract: Atmospheric aerosols formed by nucleation of vapors affect radiative forcing and therefore climate. However, the underlying mechanisms of nucleation remain unclear, particularly the involvement of organic compounds. Here, we present high-resolution mass spectra of ion clusters observed during new particle formation experiments performed at the Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets chamber at the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The experiments involved sulfuric acid vapor and different stabilizing species, including ammonia and dimethylamine, as well as oxidation products of pinanediol, a surrogate for organic vapors formed from monoterpenes. A striking resemblance is revealed between the mass spectra from the chamber experiments with oxidized organics and ambient data obtained during new particle formation events at the Hyytiala boreal forest research station. We observe that large oxidized organic compounds, arising from the oxidation of monoterpenes, cluster directly with single sulfuric acid molecules and then form growing clusters of one to three sulfuric acid molecules plus one to four oxidized organics. Most of these organic compounds retain 10 carbon atoms, and some of them are remarkably highly oxidized (oxygen-to-carbon ratios up to 1.2). The average degree of oxygenation of the organic compounds decreases while the clusters are growing. Our measurements therefore connect oxidized organics directly, and in detail, with the very first steps of new particle formation and their growth between 1 and 2 nm in a controlled environment. Thus, they confirm that oxidized organics are involved in both the formation and growth of particles under ambient conditions.

301 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Sep 2013
TL;DR: The large variation in the PSDs obtained from these four, fundamentally different platforms, indicates that great care must still be taken in the analysis of samples known to have complex PSDs.
Abstract: The particle size distribution (PSD) of a polydisperse or multimodal system can often be difficult to obtain due to the inherent limitations in established measurement techniques. For this reason, the resolution, accuracy and precision of three new and one established, commercially available and fundamentally different particle size analysis platforms were compared by measuring both individual and a mixed sample of monodisperse, sub-micron (220, 330, and 410 nm - nominal modal size) polystyrene particles. The platforms compared were the qNano Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensor, Nanosight LM10 Particle Tracking Analysis System, the CPS Instruments's UHR24000 Disc Centrifuge, and the routinely used Malvern Zetasizer Nano ZS Dynamic Light Scattering system. All measurements were subjected to a peak detection algorithm so that the detected particle populations could be compared to 'reference' Transmission Electron Microscope measurements of the individual particle samples. Only the Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensor and Disc Centrifuge platforms provided the resolution required to resolve all three particle populations present in the mixed 'multimodal' particle sample. In contrast, the light scattering based Particle Tracking Analysis and Dynamic Light Scattering platforms were only able to detect a single population of particles corresponding to either the largest (410 nm) or smallest (220 nm) particles in the multimodal sample, respectively. When the particle sets were measured separately (monomodal) each platform was able to resolve and accurately obtain a mean particle size within 10% of the Transmission Electron Microscope reference values. However, the broadness of the PSD measured in the monomodal samples deviated greatly, with coefficients of variation being ~2-6-fold larger than the TEM measurements across all four platforms. The large variation in the PSDs obtained from these four, fundamentally different platforms, indicates that great care must still be taken in the analysis of samples known to have complex PSDs. All of the platforms were found to have high precision, i.e. they gave rise to less than 5% variance in PSD shape descriptors over the replicate measurements.

293 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The discharge product formed in Li-O2 batteries on electrodes composed of carpets of aligned carbon nanotubes was characterized to show copious nucleation of equiaxed Li2O2 particles precedes growth of discs and toroids at high discharge rates.
Abstract: Li-O2 batteries, wherein solid Li2O2 is formed at the porous air cathode during discharge, are candidates for high gravimetric energy (3212 Wh/kgLi2O2) storage for electric vehicles. Understanding and controlling the nucleation and morphological evolution of Li2O2 particles upon discharge is key to achieving high volumetric energy densities. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the discharge product formed in Li-O2 batteries on electrodes composed of carpets of aligned carbon nanotubes. At low discharge rates, Li2O2 particles form first as stacked thin plates, ∼10 nm in thickness, which spontaneously splay so that secondary nucleation of new plates eventually leads to the development of a particle with a toroidal shape. Li2O2 crystallites have large (001) crystal faces consistent with the theoretical Wulff shape and appear to grow by a layer-by-layer mechanism. In contrast, at high discharge rates, copious nucleation of equiaxed Li2O2 particles precedes growth of discs and toroids.

282 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Most biochars exhibited attractive acid-base interactions that impeded their transport, whereas the biochar with the greatest mobility had repulsive acid- base interaction, and greater retention of the MPs than that of the NPs was in contrast with the XDLVO predictions.
Abstract: Land application of biochar is increasingly being considered for potential agronomic and environmental benefits, e.g., enhancing carbon sequestration, nutrient retention, water holding capacity, and crop productivity; and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and bioavailability of environmental contaminants. However, little is known about the transport of biochar particles in the aqueous environment, which represents a critical knowledge gap because biochar particles can facilitate the transport of adsorbed contaminants. In this study, column experiments were conducted to investigate biochar particle transport and retention in water-saturated quartz sand. Specific factors considered included biochar feedstocks (wheat straw and pine needle), pyrolysis temperature (350 and 550 °C), and particle size (micrometer-particle (MP) and nanoparticle (NP)). Greater mobility was observed for the biochars of lower pyrolysis temperatures and smaller particle sizes. Extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (XDLVO) calcula...

281 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The nanoparticle system used in this work is highly suitable for quantitatively determining deposition, transport and clearance of nanoparticles from the lung, providing a quantified measure of delivered dose.
Abstract: The deposition, clearance and translocation of europium-doped gadolinium oxide nanoparticles in a mouse lung were investigated experimentally. Nanoparticles were synthesized by spray flame pyrolysis. The particle size, crystallinity and surface properties were characterized. Following instillation, the concentrations of particles in organs were determined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The protein corona coating the nanoparticles was found to be similar to the coating on more environmentally relevant nanoparticles such as iron oxide. Measurements of the solubility of the nanoparticles in surrogates of biological fluids indicated very little propensity for dissolution, and the elemental ratio of particle constituents did not change, adding further support to the contention that intact nanoparticles were measured. The particles were intratracheally instilled into the mouse lung. After 24 hours, the target organs were harvested, acid digested and the nanoparticle mass in each organ was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The nanoparticles were detected in all the studied organs at low ppb levels; 59% of the particles remained in the lung. A significant amount of particles was also detected in the feces, suggesting fast clearance mechanisms. The nanoparticle system used in this work is highly suitable for quantitatively determining deposition, transport and clearance of nanoparticles from the lung, providing a quantified measure of delivered dose.

261 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the steady-state viscosity of carbon nanotubes water-based nanofluids is investigated considering the influence of particle volume fraction and temperature ranging from 0 to 40°C.

253 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the classical theory of fibrous filters is described with focus on the principles that are applicable to nanoparticle collection and the areas of recent developments reviewed include thermal rebound of nanoparticles and the effects of particle shape, aggregate morphology, flow regime, humidity, fiber size, and particle loading.
Abstract: Although the basic principles of fibrous filters have been well understood for capture of micron and submicron sized particles, questions arise when they are applied to nanoscale particles. In the first part of this review, the classical theory of fibrous filters is described with focus on the principles that are applicable to nanoparticle collection. The areas of recent developments reviewed include thermal rebound of nanoparticles and the effects of particle shape, aggregate morphology, flow regime, humidity, fiber size, and particle loading. One of the outstanding questions in nanoparticle collection is the particle size at which the effect of thermal rebound on collection efficiency can be observed. Theoretical calculations indicate that the effect probably can be observed only for particles smaller than 1 nm, but experimental confirmation is difficult at present because of lack of instruments for classifying and counting subnanoscale particles. Two promising devices based on filtration principles hav...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A novel spiral microchannel with a trapezoidal cross-section that generates stronger Dean vortices at the outer half of the channel and shows that particles focusing in such device are sensitive to particle size and flow rate, and a higher separation resolution is achieved over conventional spiral microchannels with rectangular cross- section.
Abstract: The paper reports a new method for three-dimensional observation of the location of focused particle streams along both the depth and width of the channel cross-section in spiral inertial microfluidic systems. The results confirm that particles are focused near the top and bottom walls of the microchannel cross-section, revealing clear insights on the focusing and separation mechanism. Based on this detailed understanding of the force balance, we introduce a novel spiral microchannel with a trapezoidal cross-section that generates stronger Dean vortices at the outer half of the channel. Experiments show that particles focusing in such device are sensitive to particle size and flow rate, and exhibits a sharp transition from the inner half to the outer half equilibrium positions at a size-dependent critical flow rate. As particle equilibration positions are well segregated based on different focusing mechanisms, a higher separation resolution is achieved over conventional spiral microchannels with rectangular cross-section.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The quantitative results unambiguously confirm the mosaic (particle-by-particle) pathway of intercalation and suggest that the rate-limiting process of charging is initiating the phase transformation by, for example, a nucleation-like event.
Abstract: The intercalation pathway of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) in the positive electrode of a lithium-ion battery was probed at the ∼40 nm length scale using oxidation-state-sensitive X-ray microscopy. Combined with morphological observations of the same exact locations using transmission electron microscopy, we quantified the local state-of-charge of approximately 450 individual LFP particles over nearly the entire thickness of the porous electrode. With the electrode charged to 50% state-of-charge in 0.5 h, we observed that the overwhelming majority of particles were either almost completely delithiated or lithiated. Specifically, only ∼2% of individual particles were at an intermediate state-of-charge. From this small fraction of particles that were actively undergoing delithiation, we conclude that the time needed to charge a particle is ∼1/50 the time needed to charge the entire particle ensemble. Surprisingly, we observed a very weak correlation between the sequence of delithiation and the particle size,...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results of this study suggest that the observed membrane damage is caused by the metal release process at the cell membrane surface and highlight differences in reactivity between metallic nanoparticles of Cu and Cu-Zn and nano and micron-sized Cu metal particles.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is proved that ratcheting of Janus particles can be orders of magnitude stronger than for ordinary thermal potential ratchets and thus experimentally accessible and in particular, autonomous pumping of a large mixture of passive particles can been induced by just adding a small fraction of JanUS particles.
Abstract: Brownian transport of self-propelled overdamped microswimmers (like Janus particles) in a two-dimensional periodically compartmentalized channel is numerically investigated for different compartment geometries, boundary collisional dynamics, and particle rotational diffusion. The resulting time-correlated active Brownian motion is subject to rectification in the presence of spatial asymmetry. We prove that ratcheting of Janus particles can be orders of magnitude stronger than for ordinary thermal potential ratchets and thus experimentally accessible. In particular, autonomous pumping of a large mixture of passive particles can be induced by just adding a small fraction of Janus particles.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Using the canonical system of ammonium sulfate mixed with organics from the ozone oxidation of α-pinene, theoretically the interplay of physical state, non-ideality, and particle morphology affecting aerosol mass concentration and the characteristic timescale of gas-particle mass transfer is illustrated.
Abstract: Atmospheric aerosols, comprising organic compounds and inorganic salts, play a key role in air quality and climate. Mounting evidence exists that these particles frequently exhibit phase separation into predominantly organic and aqueous electrolyte-rich phases. As well, the presence of amorphous semi-solid or glassy particle phases has been established. Using the canonical system of ammonium sulfate mixed with organics from the ozone oxidation of α-pinene, we illustrate theoretically the interplay of physical state, non-ideality, and particle morphology affecting aerosol mass concentration and the characteristic timescale of gas–particle mass transfer. Phase separation can significantly affect overall particle mass and chemical composition. Semi-solid or glassy phases can kinetically inhibit the partitioning of semivolatile components and hygroscopic growth, in contrast to the traditional assumption that organic compounds exist in quasi-instantaneous gas–particle equilibrium. These effects have significant implications for the interpretation of laboratory data and the development of improved atmospheric air quality and climate models.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is found that at low values of γ, particle motion is diffusive and characterized by a diffusion coefficient that displays a minimum at an intermediate obstacle density ρ(o), and that in high obstacle density regions and for large γ values, spontaneous trapping of active particles occurs.
Abstract: We study the transport properties of a system of active particles moving at constant speed in a heterogeneous two-dimensional space. The spatial heterogeneity is modeled by a random distribution of obstacles, which the active particles avoid. Obstacle avoidance is characterized by the particle turning speed γ. We show, through simulations and analytical calculations, that the mean square displacement of particles exhibits two regimes as function of the density of obstacles ρ(o) and γ. We find that at low values of γ, particle motion is diffusive and characterized by a diffusion coefficient that displays a minimum at an intermediate obstacle density ρ(o). We observe that in high obstacle density regions and for large γ values, spontaneous trapping of active particles occurs. We show that such trapping leads to genuine subdiffusive motion of the active particles. We indicate how these findings can be used to fabricate a filter of active particles.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review examines the recent developments in using amphiphilic Janus particles as colloid surfactants to stabilize multiphasic mixtures such as emulsions and discusses the importance of controlling the shape ofJanus particles, which has a drastic impact on their behaviour at fluid interfaces.
Abstract: Janus particles are colloids that have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic faces. Recent advances in particle synthesis enable the generation of geometrically and chemically anisotropic Janus particles with high uniformity and precision. These amphiphilic particles are similar to molecular surfactants in many aspects; they self-assemble in bulk media and also readily attach to fluid interfaces. These particles, just like molecular surfactants, could potentially function as effective stabilizers for various multiphasic systems such as emulsions and foams. In particular, just as the shape and chemical composition have a significant impact on the surfactancy of molecular amphiphiles, the ability to control the shape and wetting properties of Janus particles could provide a unique opportunity to control their surface activity. In this review, we first examine the recent developments in using amphiphilic Janus particles as colloid surfactants to stabilize multiphasic mixtures such as emulsions. These results have motivated a number of detailed investigations aimed at understanding the behaviour of Janus particles at fluid–fluid interfaces at the microscopic level, which we highlight. This review also discusses the importance of controlling the shape of Janus particles, which has a drastic impact on their behaviour at fluid interfaces. We conclude this review by presenting outlook on the future directions and outstanding problems that warrant further study to fully enable the utilization of Janus particles as colloid surfactants in practical applications.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review highlights developments in production and application of Pickering-type nanoparticles synthesized via heterophase polymerization techniques in emulsion, miniemulsion, dispersion, and suspension through stabilization of the final nanometer-sized hybrids via particle stabilizers.
Abstract: The preparation of nanoparticles in a soap-free system is highly attractive, as surfactants may influence and deteriorate subsequent applications. Thereby, the assembly of solid particles on droplets/particles is well known as Pickering-type stabilization. The resulting hybrid nanocomposites offer in general a rough surface and are highly intriguing for potential drug delivery systems, coating applications, and so forth. This review highlights developments in production and application of Pickering-type nanoparticles synthesized via heterophase polymerization techniques in emulsion, miniemulsion, dispersion, and suspension. We will focus our discussion on systems, wherein stabilization of the final nanometer-sized hybrids is exclusively accomplished via particle stabilizers. In case surfactants are used during preparation, they only serve as pre-treating agents to modify the surface properties of the particle stabilizer, and not being employed for the purpose of droplet/particle stabilization.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the micro mechanics of one-dimensional compression were investigated using discrete-element models and the influence of the distribution of fragments produced for each fracture on the global particle size distribution and the slope of the normal compression line.
Abstract: Discrete-element modelling has been used to investigate the micro mechanics of one-dimensional compression. One-dimensional compression is modelled in three dimensions using an oedometer and a large number of particles, and without the use of agglomerates. The fracture of a particle is governed by the octahedral shear stress within the particle due to the multiple contacts and a Weibull distribution of strengths. Different fracture mechanisms are considered, and the influence of the distribution of fragments produced for each fracture on the global particle size distribution and the slope of the normal compression line is investigated. Using the discrete-element method, compression is related to the evolution of a fractal distribution of particles. The compression index is found to be solely a function of the strengths of the particles as a function of size.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a model was developed to study the stress generation in a spherical particle subjected to lithium insertion, which accounts for both the plastic deformation and the coexistence of lithium-poor and lithium-rich phases with a sharp and curved phase boundary.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: High magnetic Fe3O4 particles with increased surface area display improved arsenic adsorption performance, superior efficiency in low-level arsenic removal, high desorption efficiency, and satisfactory magnetic recyclability, which are very promising compared with commercial Fe3 O4 particles.
Abstract: Hierarchical porous Fe3O4 particles with tunable grain size were synthesized based on a facile poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA)-modulated solvothermal method. The products were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption technique, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results show that increasing the PDDA dosage decrease the grain size and particle size, which increased the particle porosity and enhanced the surface area from 7.05 to 32.75 m2 g–1. Possible mechanism can be ascribed to the PDDA function on capping the crystal surface and promoting the viscosity of reaction medium to mediate the growth and assembly of grain. Furthermore, the arsenic adsorption application of the as-obtained Fe3O4 samples was investigated and the adsorption mechanism was proposed. H...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a variable resolution method using particle splitting and coalescing for the SPH numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equations is presented, which is based on the variational principle guaranteeing that both mass and momentum are conserved for particles with different smoothing lengths.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Nicotine delivery may depend on vaping technique, particle evolution, and cloud effects, and predicted 10% arterial and 15% venous delivery may describe bystander exposure better than vapers exposure.
Abstract: Introduction Electronic cigarette users ("vapers") inhale aerosols of water, nicotine, and propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG) Aerosol particle sizes should affect deposition patterns in vapers and bystanders Methods Aerosols were generated by a smoking machine and an electronic cigarette filled with 16mg/ml nicotine in aqueous PG or VG solution A scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) counted particles of 10-1,000 nm diameters A single puff experiment counted particles immediately and after aging 10 and 40 s A steady-state experiment counted particles emitted from a collection chamber, untreated and after desiccation or organic vapor removal The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) human respiratory tract model was used to estimate deposition Results were compared to similar data from reference cigarettes Results Puffs generated peak particle counts at (VG) 180 nm and (PG) 120 nm Steady-state peaks occurred around 400 nm Organic vapor removal eliminated small particles and reduced the size and number of large particles Desiccation reduced the total volume of particles by 70% (VG, small PG) to 88% (large PG) The ICRP model predicted 7%-18% alveolar delivery; 9%-19% venous delivery, mostly in the head; and 73%-80% losses by exhalation Reference cigarettes generated more particles initially, but were otherwise similar; however, in vivo smoke particle deposition is higher than the model predicts Conclusions Nicotine delivery may depend on vaping technique, particle evolution, and cloud effects Predicted 10% arterial and 15% venous delivery may describe bystander exposure better than vapers exposure

Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the properties of colloidal clays and clay mineral particles are discussed, including the structure, charge distribution, structure of the hydrates, diffuse ionic layer, and the interactions between the colloidal clay minerals particles.
Abstract: The knowledge of the properties of colloidal dispersions is fundamental for designing and optimizing the usage of clays and clay minerals. The colloidal behaviour of these dispersions is very complex due to the anisometric (and often irregular) particle shape, the anisometric and pH-dependent charge distribution, the variable particle dimensions as a consequence of swelling, delamination and exfoliation, and the ion-exchange properties. Therefore, this chapter gives information on the structure, charge distribution, structure of the hydrates, diffuse ionic layer, and the interactions between the colloidal clay mineral particles (electrostatic, van der Waals, ion correlation, steric stabilization). A large section refers to the coagulation of clay mineral dispersions by salts, the influence of organic compounds, and the destabilization (flocculation by bridging or charge neutralization) or stabilization by polymers (by recharging or steric stabilization). In a further section is described the aggregation of clay mineral particles leading to different types of sediments (decisively determining sealing, plastering, stirring, filtration processes, plasticity) or resulting in gel formation, often with thixotropic properties. Also mentioned is the preparation of colloidal metal (hydr)oxides and sulphides within the network of clay mineral particles or even between the clay mineral layers.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, an extension of relativistic single-particle distribution function for weakly interacting particles at local thermodynamical equilibrium including spin degrees of freedom, for massive spin 1/2 particles is presented.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a complex set of inertial focusing behavioral regimes are discovered within curved microfluidic channels over a range of channel Reynolds numbers, curvature ratios and particle confinement ratios.
Abstract: The decoupled effects of Reynolds and Dean numbers are examined in inertial focusing flows. In doing so, a complex set of inertial focusing behavioral regimes is discovered within curved microfluidic channels over a range of channel Reynolds numbers, curvature ratios and particle confinement ratios. These regimes are characterized by particle migration either towards or away from the center of curvature as the channel Reynolds number is increased. The transition between these two regimes is shown to be a set of conditions where single-point equilibrium position focusing of particles of different sizes is achieved. A mechanism describing the observed motion of particles in such flows is hypothesized incorporating the redistribution of the main flow velocities caused by Dean flow and its effect on the balance forces on suspended particles.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a measurement of the viscosity of microparticles composed of Newtonian fluids has been made over a range of 12 orders of magnitude (10−3 to 109 Pa s), extending from dilute aqueous solutions to the solid-like behaviour expected on approaching a glass transition.
Abstract: For the first time, a measurement of the viscosity of microparticles composed of Newtonian fluids has been made over a range of 12 orders of magnitude (10−3 to 109 Pa s), extending from dilute aqueous solutions to the solid-like behaviour expected on approaching a glass transition. Using holographic optical tweezers to induce coalescence between two aerosol particles (volume <500 femtolitres), we observe the composite particle relax to a sphere over a timescale from 10−7 to 105 s, dependent on viscosity. The damped oscillations in shape illustrate the interplay of surface capillary forces and bulk fluid flow as the relaxation progresses. Viscosity values estimated from the extrapolation of measurements from macroscopic binary aqueous solutions of sucrose are shown to diverge from the microparticle measurements by as much as five orders of magnitude in the limit of ultrahigh solute supersaturation and viscosity. This is shown to be a consequence of the sensitivity of the viscosity to the composition of the particles, specifically the water content, and the often incorrect compositional dependence on water activity that are assumed to characterise aerosols and amorphous phases under dry conditions. For ternary mixtures of sodium chloride, sucrose and water, the measured viscosities similarly diverge from model predictions by up to three orders of magnitude. The Stokes–Einstein treatment for relating the diffusivity of water in sucrose droplets to the particle viscosity is found to depart from the measured viscosities by more than one order of magnitude when the viscosity exceeds 10 Pa s and up to six orders of magnitude at the highest viscosities accessed. Coalescence is shown to proceed with unit efficiency even up to the highest accessible viscosity. These measurements provide the first comprehensive account of the change in a material property accompanying a transition from a dilute solution to an amorphous semi-solid state using aerosol particles to probe the change in rheological properties.

Journal Article
TL;DR: For example, U.S. Air Force (e contracts FA8718-05-C-0036, FA 8718-10C-001, FA8721-05C-0002 and FA8802-09-C_0001) as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: United States. Air Force (e contracts FA8718-05-C-0036, FA8718-10-C-001, FA8721-05-C-0002 and FA8802-09-C-0001)

Book ChapterDOI
09 Aug 2013
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors introduce methods and techniques for standard rheological tests and then characterize the rheology of hard sphere, repulsive, and attractive particles in colloidal systems.
Abstract: The rheology of disperse systems is an important processing parameter. Being able to characterize and manipulate the flow behavior of dispersions one can ensure their optimal performance. Waterborne automotive coatings, for example, should exhibit a distinct low-shear viscosity necessary to provide good leveling but to avoid sagging at the same time. Then, a strong degree of shear thinning is needed to guarantee good pumpand sprayability. The rheological properties of dispersions, especially at high solids content, are complex and strongly dependent on the applied forces and flow kinematics. Adding particles does not simply increase the viscosity of the liquid as a result of the hydrodynamic disturbance of the flow; it also can be a reason for deviation from Newtonian behavior, including shear rate dependent viscosity, elasticity, and time-dependent rheological behavior or even the occurrence of an apparent yield stress. In colloidal systems particle interactions play a crucial role. Depending on whether attractive or repulsive interactions dominate, the particles can form different structures that determine the rheological behavior of the material. In the case of attractive particle interactions loose flocs with fractal structure can be formed, immobilizing part of the continuous phase. This leads to a larger effective particle volume fraction and, correspondingly, to an increase in viscosity. Above a critical volume fraction a sample-spanning network forms, which results in a highly elastic, gel-like behavior, and an apparent yield stress. Shear-induced breakup and recovery of floc structure leads to thixotropic behavior. Electrostatic or steric repulsion between particles defines an excluded volume that is not accessible by other particles. This corresponds to an increase in effective volume fraction and accordingly to an increase in viscosity. Crystalline or gel-like states occur at particle concentrations lower than the maximum packing fraction. Characterization of the microstructure and flow properties of dispersions is essential for understanding and controlling their rheological behavior. In this chapter we first introduce methods and techniques for standard rheological tests and then characterize the rheology of hard sphere, repulsive, and attractive particles. The effect of particle size distribution on the rheology of highly concentrated