The role of fuel chemistry in dictating nanostructure evolution of soot toward source identification

Madhu Singh, Randy L. Vander Wal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Laser derivatization is proposed as a diagnostic technique toward identifying the sources contributing to combustion produced soot. Fuel chemistry and the resultant oxygen content in nascent soot have been shown to influence the evolution of soot nanostructure upon laser derivatization. This is illustrated using the spectroscopic and microscopic characterization of biodiesel soot, with a systematic variation in fuel chemistry used to generate the soot. Functionalized carbon black is used as the control to independently verify the influence of material chemistry on nanostructure upon laser heat treatment. Results track with those observed for biodiesel soot. Reciprocally, the similarity in soot nanostructure observed after laser heating is tied to the likeness in fuel chemistry of biomass-fueled sources. Understanding the origin of differences or similarities in soot nanostructure upon laser heat treatment can help differentiate sources based on their contribution, thereby aiding in effective air quality control.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)66-78
Number of pages13
JournalAerosol Science and Technology
Volume54
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • General Materials Science
  • Pollution

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