Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Experimental Protocol to Investigate Particle Aerosolization of a Product Under Abrasion and Under Environmental Weathering
Published on: September 16, 2016
From micro-to-nano in charged water microdroplets: unveiling steps in the weathering of minerals
Anubhav Mahapatra1, Anirban Som1, B K Spoorthi1
1DST Unit of Nanoscience (DST UNS) & Thematic Unit of Excellence (TUE), Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai 600036, India. pradeep@iitm.ac.in.
Abstract:
The recent discovery of the rapid conversion of micron-sized common minerals to nanoparticles in charged water microdroplets has attracted significant attention. Here, we studied this micro-to-nano transition as a function of applied electric potential and tip-to-substrate distance using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Our observations revealed that the fragmentation progresses through distinct stages, from larger particles to flower-like intermediates and finally to nanoparticles. The results suggested the need for a critical droplet size to initiate the disintegration process, with Coulomb explosion playing a significant role in particle scission. Our results provide new insights for the efficient green synthesis of nanomaterials.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Types of Coprecipitation
Sometimes, ions in a crystal lattice can undergo isomorphous replacement by inclusions of similar charge and size. For...
Washing, Drying, and Ignition of Precipitates
Colloidal precipitates
Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy
The Water Cycle
Precipitation and Co-precipitation

