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Updated: Jul 2, 2025
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Production and Measurement of Organic Particulate Matter in a Flow Tube Reactor
Published on: December 15, 2018
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Phase Transitions in Organic and Organic/Inorganic Aerosol Particles
Miriam Arak Freedman1,2, Qishen Huang3, Kiran R Pitta1
1Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; email: maf43@psu.edu, kxp5576@psu.edu.
Annual Review of Physical Chemistry
|February 21, 2024
Summary
Aerosol particle phase transitions, especially liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), influence atmospheric processes. Understanding LLPS is key to improving models of air quality, human health, and climate.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Aerosol particle phase state significantly affects atmospheric processes like new particle growth and cloud formation.
- Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a critical phenomenon in aerosol science.
- Understanding aerosol phase transitions is vital for climate and human health research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss phase transitions of inorganic, organic, and mixed aerosol particles.
- To explain the physical chemistry governing LLPS and its impact on aerosol properties.
- To review the atmospheric implications of LLPS and present evidence from studies.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical explanations of phase transition physical chemistry.
- Experimental investigations of LLPS in aerosol particles.
- Review of field and chamber study data.
Main Results:
- LLPS occurrence, critical relative humidity, and particle morphology are determined by physical chemistry.
- LLPS influences new particle growth, heterogeneous chemistry, and cloud condensation nucleus formation.
- Evidence for LLPS in atmospheric aerosols has been observed in various studies.
Conclusions:
- Understanding aerosol particle phase transitions, particularly LLPS, is crucial for advancing atmospheric science.
- Improved knowledge of LLPS will enhance models impacting human health and climate predictions.
- Further research into LLPS will refine our understanding of aerosol-climate interactions.
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