The effect of inkjet operating parameters on the size control of aerosol particles

Abstract

We investigated the effect of inkjet operating parameters on the size control of aerosol particles. Droplets with agglomerates of polystyrene latex particles were generated from an inkjet nozzle and continuously dried up at the temperature of 38°C. When droplets have the size range of 30 to 70 m in diameter, aerosol particles with the size range of 3.5 to 7.1 m were generated after the drying process. We controlled the particle size easily within a factor of two by adjusting rising/falling time and voltages of an actuating waveform. Generated particles were shown to have a narrow particle size distribution. Thus, the particle concentration of aqueous suspension does not need to be adjusted precisely in order to control the size of generated aerosol particles.