Electrical mobility, particle size distribution

Rowell and co-workers [62-64] have developed an electrophoretic fingerprint to uniquely characterize the properties of charged colloidal particles. They present contour diagrams of the electrophoretic mobility as a function of the suspension pH and specific conductance, pX. These fingerprints illustrate anomalies and specific characteristics of the charged colloidal surface. A more sophisticated electroacoustic measurement provides the particle size distribution and potential in a polydisperse suspension. Not limited to dilute suspensions, in this experiment, one characterizes the sonic waves generated by the motion of particles in an alternating electric field. O Brien and co-workers have an excellent review of this technique [65]. 

Particle size distributions of smaller particles have been made using electrical mobility analyzers and diffusion batteries, (9-11) instruments which are not suited to chemical characterization of the aerosol. Nonetheless, these data have made major contributions to our understanding of particle formation mechanisms (1, 1 ). At least two distinct mechanisms make major contributions to the aerosols produced by pulverized coal combustors. The vast majority of the aerosol mass consists of the ash residue which is left after the coal is burned. At the high temperatures in these furnaces, the ash melts and coalesces to form large spherical particles. Their mean diameter is typically in the range 10-20 pm. The smallest particles produced by this process are expected to be the size of the mineral inclusions in the parent coal. Thus, we expect few residual ash particles smaller than a few tenths of a micrometer in diameter (12). 

There are several different approaches that are commonly used to determine particle size distributions in air. One of them, impaction, has been discussed earlier. Multistage impactors with different cut points are used extensively to obtain both mass and chemical composition data as a function of size for particles with diameters > 0.2 /xm. Others, including methods based on optical properties, electrical or aerodynamic mobility, and diffusion speeds, are described briefly in the following section. The condensation particle counter (CPC) is used as a detector in combination with some of these size-sorting methods. 

Beside of the progress in the theory of a particle movement in the zetameter measurement cell, there was progress in particle measurement techniques. New models of zetameters enable automatic measurement of electrophoretic mobility on the basis of the shift of light wave scattered on the particle that moves in the electric field [82]. This technique is called photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). To increase the sensitivity of the measurement, it is supported by multiangle electrophoretic light scattering (ELS). This combination, allows one also to measure the particle size distribution of the dispersed phase [83]. 

Commercial instruments are available for a variety of applications in aerosol instrumentation, production of materials from aerosols, contamination control, etc. (ISO/CD 15900 2006, Determination of Particles Size Distribution—Differential Electrical Mobility Analysis for Aerosol Particles). 

The size distribution of the particulate matter in the 0.01-5 ym size range is analyzed on line using an electrical mobility analyzer and an optical particle counter. Samples of particles having aerodynamic diameters between 0.05 and 4 ym are classified according to size using the Caltech low pressure cascade impactor. A number of analytical procedures have been used to determine the composition distribution in these particles. A discrete mode of particles is observed between 0.03 and 0.1 ym. The major components of these particles are volatile elements and soot. The composition of the fine particles varies substantially with combustor operating conditions. 

On-line aerosol measurements were made using a Thermo-Systems, Inc., Model 3030 Electrical Aerosol Size Analyzer (EAA). This instrument uses the electrical mobility of the particles to measure the size distribution in the 0.01 to 0.5 ym range. 

The size and charge analysis was done using a Coulter DELSA 440SX (Coulter Beckman Corp., Miami, FL). This particular instrument measured the size distribution on the basis of photon correlation spectrometry (PCS) and was limited to particle diameters between 0.02 pm and 3 pm. Measurements were taken at four different angles simultaneously with 256-channel resolution each. Comparison of the spectra allowed for the detection of very small particles. The zeta potential was assessed on the basis of electrophoretic mobility (laser Doppler anemometry, LDA). This was defined as the particle velocity per unit of applied electrical field, with units usually given as pm s 1/V cm-1, while zeta potential is defined as the electrical potential between the bulk solution and the... 

The dimensionless retention parameter X of all FFF techniques, if operated on an absolute basis, is a function of the molecular characteristics of the compounds separated. These include the size of macromolecules and particles, molar mass, diffusion coefficient, thermal diffusion coefficient, electrophoretic mobility, electrical charge, and density (see Table 1, Sect. 1.4.1.) reflecting the wide variablity of the applicable forces [77]. For detailed theoretical descriptions see Sects. 1.4.1. and 2. For the majority of operation modes, X is influenced by the size of the retained macromolecules or particles, and FFF can be used to determine absolute particle sizes and their distributions. For an overview, the accessible quantities for the three main FFF techniques are given (for the analytical expressions see Table l,Sect. 1.4.1) ... 

Next, the sampling flow was guided to different measurement instruments. The concentration number and the size distribution of submicron particles (0.01-0.5 pm) was obtained with a TSI Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) consisting of a differential electrical mobility analyzer coupled with a condensation nuclei counter. Previously a preconditioning gas system was used. This basically consists of a cyclon,... 

Qi(x) Qx, Cumulative volume or mass distribution Cumulative volume distribution till class i — — Z(x) Electrical mobility of particle size x c G... 

Husar( 1971) studied the coagulation of ultrahne particles produced by a propane torch aerosol in a 90-m polyethylene bag. The size distribution was measured as a function of time with an electrical mobility analyzer. The results of the experiments are shown in Fig. 7.11 in which the size distribution is plotted as a function of particle diameter and in Fig. 7.12 in which is shown as a function of t) both based on particle radius. Numerical calculations were carried out by a Monte Carlo method, and the results of the calculation are also shown in Fig. 7.12. The agreement between experi ment and the numerical calculations is quite satisfactory. 

The description of a colloid should include particle size, mobility, charge and their distributions, charge/mass ratio, electrical conductivity of the media, concentration and mobility of ionic species, the extent of a double layer, particle-particle and particle-substrate interaction forces and complete interfacial analysis. The application of classical characterization methods to nonaqueous colloids is limited and, for this reason, the techniques best suited to these systems will be reviewed. Characteristic results obtained with nonaqueous dispersions will be summarized. Physical aspects, such as space charge effects and electrohydrodynamics, will receive special attention while the relationships between chemical and physical properties will not be addressed. An application of nonaqueous colloids, the electrophoretic development of latent images, will also be discussed. 

The smaller aerosol particles can be captured from the air for subsequent counting and size measurement by means of so-called thermal precipitators. In these instruments, metal wires are heated to produce a temperature gradient. Aerosol particles move away from the wire in the direction of a cold surface, since the impact of more energetic gas molecules from the heated side gives them a net motion in that direction. The particles captured are studied with an electron microscope. Another possible way to measure Aitken particles is by charging them electrically under well-defined conditions. The charged particles are passed through an electric field and are captured as a result of their electrical mobility (see equation [4.6]). Since size and electrical mobility are related, the size distribution of particles can be deduced. These devices are called electrical mobility analyzers. 

More recently, Whitby (1978) has analyzed the results of much more numerous size distribution observations carried out mainly by his group who used a combination of expansion chamber, electrical mobility and optical counter techniques. This analysis clearly shows that the complete size distribution is composed of three separate log-normal distributions as demonstrated in Fig. 26. Whitby speculates that the first distribution, the nuclei mode, is controlled by the condensation of vapour, (predominantly H2S04) formed by chemical reactions. Thus, the concentration of these small particles was found to be very significant in irradiated polluted atmosphere. On the other hand, the so-called accumulation... 

---