Physical Properties of Aerosols

To understand the role of aerosol particles as cloud condensation nuclei, or ice nucleating particles, knowledge of the physical and chemical properties is necessary. We perform detailed measurements of the physical properties such as investigating particle size, density and morphology. For the morphology we collaborate with ScopeM (the ETH microscopy centre) to image particles in high resolution. We have various collaborations across ETH and internationally to determine aerosol chemical properties.  

Our laboratories are well-equipped with a comprehensive set of state-of-the-art instruments for the physical characterization of aerosol particles. This includes Differential and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Systems (DMPS and SMPS-Systems, respectively) and Aerosol Particle Sizers (APSs) to measure the aerosol size-distribution. Diverse aerosol generators are available to produce well-defined particles for laboratory studies, such as external pagefluidized-bed aerosol generatorcall_made and a external pagebrush generatorcall_made to dry-disperse, e.g. mineral dust particles, as well as home-built atomizers and a external pagevibrating orifice aerosol generatorcall_made for wet particle production. For the generation of soot we use a Jing external pageCASTcall_made (Combustion Aerosol Standard) burner. We also have a centrifugal particle mass analyzer (CPMA) to detect the mass distribution of aerosol particles.