Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dingyu Hou, Muye Feng, Jili Wei, Yi Wang, Adri C. T. van Duin, Kai H. Luo
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism of TTIP precursor droplet conversion to Ti-containing clusters under different conditions using ReaxFF reactive molecular dynamics simulations. The results suggest that high temperature does not necessarily promote the formation of incipient Ti-containing clusters, while the concentration of oxygen and high-temperature residence time significantly affect the conversion process.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Juan Fernandez de la Mora
Summary: The Half-Mini Differential Mobility Analyzer (HM-DMA) developed in our laboratory can classify particles smaller than 10 nm with high resolution and theoretically up to 30 nm. Tests were conducted using 38 nm particles from the Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV), which showed a narrow mobility distribution with FWHM<2%. The HM-DMA was able to resolve these particles with a resolving power of over 20.
JOURNAL OF AEROSOL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sujit Modi, Marcus B. Foston, Pratim Biswas
Summary: In this study, lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) were synthesized using a continuous and single-step process in a furnace aerosol reactor (FuAR) with minimal use of solvents. The LNPs were analyzed for size distribution and functional group composition, and the maximum temperature for LNPs synthesis without significant degradation was found to be 300 degrees C at a residence time of 5.8 s. The UV protection performance of both bulk and as-synthesized LNPs was tested, and a quantitative correlation between lignin particle size and mass concentration on UV protection performance was established.
ACS ES&T ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marco A. Franco, Florian Ditas, Leslie A. Kremper, Luiz A. T. Machado, Meinrat O. Andreae, Alessandro Araujo, Henrique M. J. Barbosa, Joel F. de Brito, Samara Carbone, Bruna A. Holanda, Fernando G. Morais, Janaina P. Nascimento, Mira L. Poehlker, Luciana Rizzo, Marta Sa, Jorge Saturno, David Walter, Stefan Wolff, Ulrich Poeschl, Paulo Artaxo, Christopher Poehlker
Summary: In the Amazon region, classical new particle formation, which leads to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) size particles, starts in the upper troposphere instead of the planetary boundary layer. Analysis of data from the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory showed that these growth events are more frequent in the wet season and occur more frequently during the day with higher growth rates. These events may be associated with photochemistry and boundary layer evolution, but there are also events that are not related to deep convection or downdraft transport.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Peter J. Wlasits, Ruth Konrat, Paul M. Winkler
Summary: Nanoplastic pollution caused by atmospheric transport is a global environmental problem. This study focuses on the physicochemical properties of aerosol nanoplastic particles and their behavior in the atmosphere. The experiments showed a strong material dependence of the nucleation process and a significant effect of additives from commodity plastics. The results also highlighted the importance of nucleation temperature. This study provides important insights for the detection and assessment of nanoplastic dispersion in the atmosphere.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Peter J. Wlasits, Ruth Konrat, Paul M. Winkler
Summary: Nanoplastic pollution is a global environmental problem caused by the dispersion of aerosolized nanoplastics through atmospheric transport. However, there is limited knowledge about the physicochemical properties of aerosol nanoplastic particles. This study investigates the heterogeneous nucleation of supersaturated water vapor on sub-10 nm polyethylene terephthalate (PET) seeds and finds a material dependence of nucleation behavior, as well as a strong dependence on nucleation temperature. These findings contribute to the understanding of airborne nanoplastic detection and assessing the impact of nanoplastic dispersion on atmospheric processes.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Saleh Aghajani, Angelo Accardo, Marcel Tichem
Summary: This paper introduces a dry aerosol direct writing (dADW) method for the spatially selective deposition of nanoparticles. Two aerodynamic nozzle concepts were studied and their design and operating parameters were numerically investigated for their performance in the deposition process. Experimental and numerical results demonstrated the ability of the method to print high-resolution patterns of metallic nanoparticles.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nobuyuki Takegawa, Yoshiko Murashima, Akihiro Fushimi, Kentaro Misawa, Yuji Fujitani, Katsumi Saitoh, Hiromu Sakurai
Summary: The study found that ultrafine particles emitted from aircraft exhaust in size ranges below 10 nm make significant contributions to total particle number concentrations, which is important for assessing their impacts on human health and climate.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaohan Li, Ian C. Bourg
Summary: Recent studies have shown that ultrafine aerosol particles with sizes smaller than 50 nm are a significant source of cloud condensation nuclei, promoting cloud droplet formation under supersaturation conditions. However, limited knowledge exists about the microphysics of liquid water in these droplets, especially in the sub-10 nm particle size range. This study used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structure and dynamics of water in aerosol particles of diameters between 1 and 10 nm. The results revealed insights into the mixing state of nanodroplets and the influence of droplet size on various properties, such as salt nucleation kinetics and surface tension.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xibo Zhang, Yunyan Fan, Enming You, Zexuan Li, Yongdi Dong, Luning Chen, Ye Yang, Zhaoxiong Xie, Qin Kuang, Lansun Zheng
Summary: A plasmonic catalyst with core-shell structure was designed for CO2 hydrogenation under light-heat dual activation, achieving high efficiency and optimal production rate. The sub-nm Pd skin was found to provide a longer time window for hot electron transfer, improving reaction efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Shyam Tonde, Shrikant More, Chinmay Hazra, Debasree Kundu, Shravanti Joshi, Ajinkya Satdive, Saurabh Tayde, Deepak Bornare, Bhagwan Toksha, Jitendra Naik, Aniruddha Chatterjee
Summary: In this study, 1D TiO2 sub 10 nm nanowires were successfully synthesized using a one pot hydrothermal method and decorated with silver for enhanced photocatalytic activity and antibacterial properties. The resulting super-hydrophobic coating on cotton fabric also exhibited enhanced UV-blocking performance. These sub 10 nm TiO2 nanowires hold great potential for industrial and domestic wastewater treatment.
ADVANCED POWDER TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruohan Yu, Yexin Pan, Yihang Liu, Liang Zhou, Dongyuan Zhao, Jinsong Wu, Liqiang Mai
Summary: A sub 10 nm scale interfused TiO2/SiOx hybrid with a bicontinuous structure was constructed through the oxidation of MAX Ti3SiC2 ceramic. This hybrid material exhibited a mutual stabilizing effect during lithiation, resulting in a high and stable specific capacity with low volume expansion. The concept of mutual-stabilizing effect can be applied to the design of LIB anode materials with high capacity and longevity.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Francesco Catapano, Silvana Di Iorio, Agnese Magno, Paolo Sementa, Bianca Maria Vaglieco
Summary: This study focuses on the measurement of sub-23 nm particles emitted from a small DI/PFI spark ignition engine using conventional techniques and innovative systems. The effects of different fuels and operating conditions on particle emissions were analyzed. The results showed that the size and quantity of particles emitted were influenced by the fuel, injection strategy, and operating condition. The sampling system conditions were also found to have a significant impact on particle emissions.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kshetramohan Sahoo, Sanjeev Kumar
Summary: This study successfully synthesized sub 10 nm silver nanoparticles at 30 g/day at room temperature using a free impinging jet reactor, demonstrating that impingement of low velocity liquid jets is crucial for process completion. The research also showed that the Weber number and approach angle of the liquid jets have a significant impact on the size and uniformity of the silver nanoparticles.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND PROCESSING-PROCESS INTENSIFICATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juha Sulo, Nina Sarnela, Jenni Kontkanen, Lauri Ahonen, Pauli Paasonen, Tiia Laurila, Tuija Jokinen, Juha Kangasluoma, Heikki Junninen, Mikko Sipila, Tuukka Petaja, Markku Kulmala, Katrianne Lehtipalo
Summary: The study found significant seasonal differences in sub-3 nm particle concentrations in the atmosphere in Hyytiala, Finland, as well as notable diurnal and seasonal differences in aerosol precursor vapor concentrations. This suggests that both highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) and sulfuric acid play a significant role in new particle formation in the boreal forest, with potential seasonal differences in the formation pathways that need further investigation.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jian Wang, Rob Wood, Michael P. Jensen, J. Christine Chiu, Yangang Liu, Katia Lamer, Neel Desai, Scott E. Giangrande, Daniel A. Knopf, Pavlos Kollias, Alexander Laskin, Xiaohong Liu, Chunsong Lu, David Mechem, Fan Mei, Mariusz Starzec, Jason Tomlinson, Yang Wang, Seong Soo Yum, Guangjie Zheng, Allison C. Aiken, Eduardo B. Azevedo, Yann Blanchard, Swarup China, Xiquan Dong, Francesca Gallo, Sinan Gao, Virendra P. Ghate, Susanne Glienke, Lexie Goldberger, Joseph C. Hardin, Chongai Kuang, Edward P. Luke, Alyssa A. Matthews, Mark A. Miller, Ryan Moffet, Mikhail Pekour, Beat Schmid, Arthur J. Sedlacek, Raymond A. Shaw, John E. Shilling, Amy Sullivan, Kaitlyn Suski, Daniel P. Veghte, Rodney Weber, Matt Wyant, Jaemin Yeom, Maria Zawadowicz, Zhibo Zhang
Summary: Marine low clouds have a significant impact on global climate, but their representation in global climate models is currently inadequate. Understanding how marine low clouds respond to changes in atmospheric greenhouse gases and aerosols is a major source of uncertainty in climate simulations. The eastern North Atlantic region is a unique area with diverse marine boundary layer clouds, making it an excellent location to study the impact of aerosols on cloud properties. The Aerosol and Cloud Experiments in Eastern North Atlantic campaign was conducted to improve the understanding of the marine boundary layer cloud and aerosol interactions, as well as the cloud condensation nuclei budget.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Kashala Fabrice Kapiamba, Weixing Hao, Stephen Adom, Wenyan Liu, Yue-Wern Huang, Yang Wang
Summary: The health effects of electronic cigarette (EC) aerosol exposure are still not well understood due to insufficient data. In this study, metals in EC aerosols from three brands were quantified, and it was found that some metals exceeded the regulated maximum daily intake amount. The metals were mainly released from the EC liquid, and high metal contents were also observed in simulated secondhand aerosols.
CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Toxicology
Weixing Hao, Kashala Fabrice Kapiamba, Varuni Abhayaratne, Shoaib Usman, Yue-Wern Huang, Yang Wang
Summary: This study designed a filter-based system to simulate secondhand smoke generation, utilizing three filter media to mimic particle deposition efficiencies in different regions of the human respiratory system. The performance of the system was demonstrated and properties of secondhand smoke particles were compared to primary smoke particles.
INHALATION TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yu Zhang, Zan Zhu, Wei-Ning Wang, Sheng-Chieh Chen
Summary: A new E-MOFilter was developed in this study for the simultaneous removal of PM2.5 and VOCs, with the PDMS-coated E-MOFilter performing the best. The study focused on the effectiveness of toluene adsorption under different RH conditions.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Steven Cheng, Weixing Hao, Yuchen Wang, Yang Wang, Shu Yang
Summary: By understanding the morphology and wettability of fibers/yarns, researchers have identified the best reusable fabric mask materials, which consist of tightly woven Janus fabrics with low porosity and a hydrophobic outer layer, and a high porosity and hydrophilic inner layer.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
J. Patrick Brooks, Christopher Lupfer, Wang Yang, Weixing Hao MEng, Kashala Fabrice Kapiamba
Summary: The effect of stabilized hypochlorous acid (HOCl) on N95 filtration facemask respirators (FFRs) was investigated. The filtration performance of N95 FFR fabric swatches was not significantly affected by HOCl exposure. HOCl submersion showed excellent bactericidal effects on contaminated swatches. Further study is needed on the decontamination of intact FFRs using HOCl. Rating: 8/10.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Nana A. Amoah, Guang Xu, Yang Wang, Jiayu Li, Yongming Zou, Baisheng Nie
Summary: Researchers conducted a critical review of the current status of particle matter sensors and discussed the potential application of low-cost sensors in underground mines. They identified sources of sensor errors and proposed comprehensive calibration processes and evaluation protocols to improve sensor performance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MINERALS METALLURGY AND MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jianping Chen, Zan Zhu, Gustavo Monge, Wei-Ning Wang
Summary: This study investigates the formation of Cu-BDC MOF under different flow regimes by modulating operating pressure, and finds that decreasing pressure results in changes in crystal size, morphology, and orientation, as well as increased open metal sites and higher CO2 adsorption affinity for the MOFs.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zan Zhu, Liang Bao, Dmitry Pestov, Ping Xu, Wei-Ning Wang
Summary: The surface-modulated photocatalyst with a positively charged layer enhances the affinity towards bacterial cells via electrostatic attractions. The experimental results demonstrate that the positively charged layer does promote the contact between bacteria and photocatalyst through electrostatic attractions. The cooperative effects of bacterial cell adhesion and ROS generation significantly enhance the disinfection performance of the photocatalyst.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nana A. Amoah, Guang Xu, Ashish Ranjan Kumar, Yang Wang
Summary: Mining-induced coal dust causes respiratory diseases, especially coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). Current underground monitors are costly and not suitable for regular sample monitoring. Low-cost PM sensors offer a potential solution but require precise calibration. This study calibrated Plantower PMS5003 sensors and evaluated other commercially available PM sensors, demonstrating the feasibility of low-cost sensors for real-time personal coal dust monitoring if a robust calibration model is applied.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Chanakya Bagya Ramesh, Yang Wang
Summary: In this study, the mobility and size distributions of positive and negative ions generated from a premixed methane-air flat flame were measured using a high-resolution differential mobility analyzer (HR-DMA). The results showed that under certain experimental conditions, positively charged ions were relatively stable, with two major modes at 1.16 nm and 1.42 nm. The mode corresponding to 1.42 nm gradually increased in size with height above the burner, indicating the charging of hydrocarbon precursors.
COMBUSTION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhishang Wan, Lihong Gan, Wei-Ning Wang, Yi Jiang
Summary: Electrospray is an effective method for membrane surface functionalization using engineered nanomaterials. The lack of understanding of the deposition process hinders the practical applications of nanocomposite membranes. Advanced online characterization techniques and mathematical modeling are used to understand the key process parameters. The stabilization of deposited Ag NPs is achieved through polymeric solvent bonding. The results provide insights into the additive manufacturing of nanocomposite membranes with improved performance.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Zhang, Zan Zhu, Wei-Ning Wang, Sheng-Chieh Chen
Summary: A new type of metal-organic framework (MOF) coated electret filter, named E-MOFilter, was developed to remove PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) simultaneously. Photocatalytic nanosheets Bi2WO6/BiOCl were synthesized and coated on MIL-125-NH2 to create p-BWO@MIL, which was further applied to the electret filter to form PE-MOFilter. The results showed that PE-MOFilter was capable of capturing and degrading VOCs, as well as effectively removing PM2.5 through adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation. The research provides insights into the development of semiconductor@MOF coated electret media for improving indoor air quality with low energy consumption.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xianda Gong, Yang Wang, Hua Xie, Jiaoshi Zhang, Zheng Lu, Robert Wood, Frank Stratmann, Heike Wex, Xiaohong Liu, Jian Wang
Summary: The study investigates the maximum supersaturation (S-x) of marine boundary layer clouds in the Eastern North Atlantic using airborne and surface observations. The results show that the cloud droplet number concentration (N-c) in the least diluted cloud cores agrees well with the number concentration of particles larger than the Hoppel Minimum (HM) below clouds. The S-x values exhibit clear seasonal variation with higher values during winter, and are mainly influenced by cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentration and updraft velocity (w).
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jiaoshi Zhang, Yang Wang, Steven Spielman, Susanne Hering, Jian Wang
Summary: Aerosol hygroscopic growth is important in atmospheric particle chemistry and climate. Nonparametric, regularized methods are introduced to invert the aerosol GF-PDF and are demonstrated to outperform other inversion methods in reconstructing the GF-PDF.
ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
(2022)