Aerosol flow reactor with controlled temperature gradient for in situ gas-phase X-ray experimentsmeasurements of evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) in aerosols

Abstract

We present a new in situ aerosol flow reactor for gas-phase studies during drying of aerosol droplets by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The setup consists of an outer confinement shell and an inner tube for aerosol flow that can be positioned by a remote-controlled motor to perform scanning measurements along the flow path, providing quasi-time-resolved information on the drying process. A controlled temperature step is provided by an insulating separation between a cooled and a heated section in the dryer. First experiments were performed on aerosols of surfactant- and silica-precursor/surfactant solutions (CTAB/ethanol, TEOS/CTAB). Measurements of the mesostructure formation during the initial steps of evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) were made to illustrate the working principle of aerosol drying during passage through an adjustable temperature gradient. Copyright © American Association for Aerosol Research.