scholarly journals Liquid-liquid phase separation in particles containing secondary organic material free of inorganic salts

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mijung Song ◽  
Pengfei Liu ◽  
Scot T. Martin ◽  
Allan K. Bertram
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Inorganic Salts ◽  
Photo Oxidation ◽  
Condensation Nucleation ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. Particles containing secondary organic material (SOM) are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and play a role in climate and air quality. Recently, research has shown that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) occurs at high relative humidities (RH) (greater than ~ 95 %) in α-pinene-derived SOM particles free of inorganic salts while LLPS does not occur in isoprene-derived SOM particles free of inorganic salts. We expand on these findings by investigating LLPS in SOM particles free of inorganic salts produced from ozonolysis of β-caryophyllene, ozonolysis of limonene, and photo-oxidation of toluene. LLPS was observed at greater than ~ 95 % RH in the biogenic SOM particles derived from β-caryophyllene and limonene while LLPS was not observed in the anthropogenic SOM particles derived from toluene at 290 ± 1 K. This work combined with the earlier work on LLPS in SOM particles free of inorganic salts suggests that the occurrence of LLPS in SOM particles free of inorganic salts is related to the average oxygen-to-carbon elemental ratio (O : C) of the organic material. When the average O : C is between 0.25 and 0.60, LLPS was observed, but when the average O : C was between 0.52 and 1.3, LLPS was not observed. These results help explain the difference between the hygroscopic parameter k of SOM particles measured above and below water saturation in the laboratory and field, and have implications for predicting the cloud condensation nucleation properties of SOM particles.

scholarly journals Liquid–liquid phase separation in particles containing secondary organic material free of inorganic salts

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 11261-11271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mijung Song ◽  
Pengfei Liu ◽  
Scot T. Martin ◽  
Allan K. Bertram
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Inorganic Salts ◽  
Photo Oxidation ◽  
Condensation Nucleation ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. Particles containing secondary organic material (SOM) are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and play a role in climate and air quality. Recently, research has shown that liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) occurs at high relative humidity (RH) (greater than  ∼  95 %) in α-pinene-derived SOM particles free of inorganic salts, while LLPS does not occur in isoprene-derived SOM particles free of inorganic salts. We expand on these findings by investigating LLPS at 290 ± 1 K in SOM particles free of inorganic salts produced from ozonolysis of β-caryophyllene, ozonolysis of limonene, and photo-oxidation of toluene. LLPS was observed at greater than  ∼  95 % RH in the biogenic SOM particles derived from β-caryophyllene and limonene while LLPS was not observed in the anthropogenic SOM particles derived from toluene. This work combined with the earlier work on LLPS in SOM particles free of inorganic salts suggests that the occurrence of LLPS in SOM particles free of inorganic salts is related to the oxygen-to-carbon elemental ratio (O : C) of the organic material. These results help explain the difference between the hygroscopic parameter κ of SOM particles measured above and below water saturation in the laboratory and field, and have implications for predicting the cloud condensation nucleation properties of SOM particles.

scholarly journals Observations and implications of liquid–liquid phase separation at high relative humidities in secondary organic material produced by α-pinene ozonolysis without inorganic salts

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (22) ◽  
pp. 33379-33405 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Renbaum-Wolff ◽  
M. Song ◽  
C. Marcolli ◽  
Y. Zhang ◽  
P. F. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Phase State ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Inorganic Salts ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Rich Phase ◽  
Liquid Phases ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. Particles consisting of secondary organic material (SOM) are abundant in the atmosphere. To predict the role of these particles in climate, visibility, and atmospheric chemistry, information on particle phase state (i.e. single liquid, two liquids, solid and so forth) is needed. This paper focuses on the phase state of SOM particles free of inorganic salts produced by the ozonolysis of α-pinene. Phase transitions were investigated both in the laboratory and with a thermodynamic model over the range of < 0.5 % to 100 % relative humidity (RH) at 290 K. In the laboratory studies, a single phase was observed from 0 to 95 % RH while two liquid phases were observed above 95 % RH. For increasing RH, the mechanism of liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) was spinodal decomposition. The RH range at which two liquid phases were observed did not depend on the direction of RH change. In the modelling studies at low RH values, the SOM took up hardly any water and was a single organic-rich phase. At high RH values, the SOM underwent LLPS to form an organic-rich phase and an aqueous phase, consistent with the laboratory studies. The presence of LLPS at high RH-values has consequences for the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of SOM particles. In the simulated Köhler curves for SOM particles, two local maxima are observed. Depending on the composition of the SOM, the first or second maximum can determine the critical supersaturation for activation. The presence of LLPS at high RH-values can explain inconsistencies between measured CCN properties of SOM particles and hygroscopic growth measured below water saturation.

scholarly journals Observations and implications of liquid–liquid phase separation at high relative humidities in secondary organic material produced by <i>α</i>-pinene ozonolysis without inorganic salts

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 7969-7979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Renbaum-Wolff ◽  
Mijung Song ◽  
Claudia Marcolli ◽  
Yue Zhang ◽  
Pengfei F. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Phase State ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Inorganic Salts ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Rich Phase ◽  
Liquid Phases ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. Particles consisting of secondary organic material (SOM) are abundant in the atmosphere. To predict the role of these particles in climate, visibility and atmospheric chemistry, information on particle phase state (i.e., single liquid, two liquids and solid) is needed. This paper focuses on the phase state of SOM particles free of inorganic salts produced by the ozonolysis of α-pinene. Phase transitions were investigated in the laboratory using optical microscopy and theoretically using a thermodynamic model at 290 K and for relative humidities ranging from  <  0.5 to 100 %. In the laboratory studies, a single phase was observed from 0 to 95 % relative humidity (RH) while two liquid phases were observed above 95 % RH. For increasing RH, the mechanism of liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) was spinodal decomposition. The RH range over which two liquid phases were observed did not depend on the direction of RH change. In the modeling studies, the SOM took up very little water and was a single organic-rich phase at low RH values. At high RH, the SOM underwent LLPS to form an organic-rich phase and a water-rich phase, consistent with the laboratory studies. The presence of LLPS at high RH values can have consequences for the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of SOM particles. In the simulated Köhler curves for SOM particles, two local maxima were observed. Depending on the composition of the SOM, the first or second maximum can determine the critical supersaturation for activation. Recently researchers have observed inconsistencies between measured CCN properties of SOM particles and hygroscopic growth measured below water saturation (i.e., hygroscopic parameters measured below water saturation were inconsistent with hygroscopic parameters measured above water saturation). The work presented here illustrates that such inconsistencies are expected for systems with LLPS when the water uptake at subsaturated conditions represents the hygroscopicity of an organic-rich phase while the barrier for CCN activation can be determined by the second maximum in the Köhler curve when the particles are water rich.

scholarly journals Liquid–liquid phase separation in particles containing organics mixed with ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate, ammonium nitrate or sodium chloride

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 11723-11734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. You ◽  
L. Renbaum-Wolff ◽  
A. K. Bertram
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Sodium Chloride ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Ammonium Sulfate ◽  
Inorganic Salt ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Inorganic Salts ◽  
Organic Species ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. As the relative humidity varies from high to low values in the atmosphere, particles containing organic species and inorganic salts may undergo liquid–liquid phase separation. The majority of the laboratory work on this subject has used ammonium sulfate as the inorganic salt. In the following we studied liquid–liquid phase separation in particles containing organics mixed with the following salts: ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate, ammonium nitrate and sodium chloride. In each experiment one organic was mixed with one inorganic salt and the liquid–liquid phase separation relative humidity (SRH) was determined. Since we studied 23 different organics mixed with four different salts, a total of 92 different particle types were investigated. Out of the 92 types, 49 underwent liquid–liquid phase separation. For all the inorganic salts, liquid–liquid phase separation was never observed when the oxygen-to-carbon elemental ratio (O : C) &amp;geq; 0.8 and was always observed for O : C < 0.5. For 0.5 &amp;leq; O : C < 0.8, the results depended on the salt type. Out of the 23 organic species investigated, the SRH of 20 organics followed the trend: (NH4)2SO4 &amp;geq; NH4HSO4 &amp;geq; NaCl &amp;geq; NH4NO3. This trend is consistent with previous salting out studies and the Hofmeister series. Based on the range of O : C values found in the atmosphere and the current results, liquid–liquid phase separation is likely a frequent occurrence in both marine and non-marine environments.

scholarly journals Predicting the relative humidities of liquid-liquid phase separation, efflorescence, and deliquescence of mixed particles of ammonium sulfate, organic material, and water using the organic-to-sulfate mass ratio of the particle and the oxygen-to-carbon elemental ratio of the organic component

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 17759-17788 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Bertram ◽  
S. T. Martin ◽  
S. J. Hanna ◽  
M. L. Smith ◽  
A. Bodsworth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Ammonium Sulfate ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Organic Component ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Elemental Ratio ◽  
Input Variables ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. Individual particles that on a mass basis consist dominantly of the components ammonium sulfate, organic material, and water are a common class of submicron particles found in today's atmosphere. Here we use (1) the organic-to-sulfate (org:sulf) mass ratio of the overall particle and (2) the oxygen-to-carbon (O:C) elemental ratio of the organic component as input variables in parameterisations that predict the critical relative humidity of several different types of particle phase transitions. These transitions include liquid-liquid phase separation (SRH), efflorescence (ERH), and deliquescence (DRH). Experiments were conducted by optical microscopy for 11 different oxygenated organic-ammonium sulfate systems covering the range 0.1 < org:sulf <12.8 and 0.29 < O:C < 1.33. These new data, in conjunction with other data already available in the literature, were used to develop the parameterisations SRH(org:sulf, O:C), ERH(org:sulf, O:C), and DRH(org:sulf, O:C). The parameterisations correctly predicted SRH within 15 % RH for 86 % of the measurements, ERH within 5 % for 86 % of the measurements, and DRH within 5 % for 95 % of the measurements. The applicability of the derived parameterisations beyond the training data set was tested against observations for organic-sulfate particles produced in an environmental chamber. The organic component consisted of secondary organic material produced by the oxidation of isoprene, α-pinene, and β-caryophyllene. The predictions of the parameterisations were also tested against data from the Southern Great Plains, Oklahoma, USA. The observed ERH and DRH values for both the chamber and field data agreed within 5 % RH with the value predicted by the parameterisations using the measured org:sulf and O:C ratios as the input variables.

scholarly journals Liquid-liquid phase separation in secondary organic aerosol particles produced from α-pinene ozonolysis and α-pinene photo-oxidation with/without ammonia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhan Ham ◽  
Zaeem Bin Babar ◽  
Jaebong Lee ◽  
Hojin Lim ◽  
Mijung Song
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Aerosol Particles ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Photo Oxidation ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. Recently, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles free of inorganic salts has been intensively studied because of their importance on cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) properties. Herein, we investigated LLPS in four different types of SOA particles generated from α-pinene ozonolysis and α-pinene photo-oxidation in the absence and presence of NH3. LLPS was observed in SOA particles produced from α-pinene ozonolysis at ~ 95.8 % relative humidity (RH) and α-pinene ozonolysis with NH3 at ~ 95.4 % RH. However, LLPS was not observed in SOA particles produced from α-pinene photo-oxidation and α-pinene photo-oxidation with NH3. With datasets of average oxygen to carbon elemental ratio (O : C) for different types of SOA particles of this study and previous studies, LLPS occurred when the O : C ratio was less than ~ 0.44 and LLPS did not occur when the O : C ratio was greater than ~ 0.40. When LLPS was observed, the two liquid phases were present up to ~ 100 % RH. This result can help to predict more accurate results of CCN properties of organic aerosol particles.

scholarly journals Liquid-liquid phase separation in organic particles containing one and two organic species: importance of the average O:C

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mijung Song ◽  
Suhan Ham ◽  
Ryan J. Andrews ◽  
Yuan You ◽  
Allan K. Bertram
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Inorganic Salts ◽  
Organic Species ◽  
Organic Particles ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Abstract. Recently, experimental studies have shown that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) can occur in organic particles free of inorganic salts. Most of these studies used organic particles consisting of secondary organic materials generated in environmental chambers. To gain additional insight into LLPS in organic particles free of inorganic salts, we studied LLPS in organic particles consisting of one and two commercially available organic species. For particles containing one organic species, three out of the six particle types investigated underwent LLPS. In these cases, LLPS was observed when the O:C was ≤ 0.44 and the RH was between ~ 97 and ~ 100 %. The mechanism of phase separation was likely nucleation and growth. For particles containing two organic species, thirteen out of the fifteen particle types investigated underwent LLPS. In these cases, LLPS was observed when the O:C was ≤ 0.58 and mostly when the RH was between ~ 90 and ~ 100 % RH. The mechanism of phase separation was likely spinodal decomposition. In almost all cases when LLPS was observed (for both one-component and two-component particles), the highest RH at which two liquids was observed was 100 ± 2.0 %, which has important implications for the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) properties of these particles. These combined results provide additional evidence that LLPS needs to be considered when predicting the CCN properties of organic particles in the atmosphere.

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