Individual airborne sea spray aerosol (SSA) particles show diversity in their morphologies and water uptake properties that are highly dependent on the biological, chemical, and physical processes within the sea subsurface and the sea surface microlayer. In this study, hygroscopicity data for model systems of organic compounds of marine origin mixed with NaCl are compared to data for authentic SSA samples collected in an ocean–atmosphere facility providing insights into the SSA particle growth, phase transitions and interactions with water vapor in the atmosphere. In particular, we combine single particle morphology analyses using atomic force microscopy (AFM) with hygroscopic growth measurements in order to provide important insights into particle hygroscopicity and the surface microstructure. For model systems, a range of simple and complex carbohydrates were studied including glucose, maltose, sucrose, laminarin, sodium alginate, and lipopolysaccharides. The measured hygroscopic growth was compared with predictions from the Extended-Aerosol Inorganics Model (E-AIM). It is shown here that the E-AIM model describes well the deliquescence transition and hygroscopic growth at low mass ratios but not as well for high ratios, most likely due to a high organic volume fraction. AFM imaging reveals that the equilibrium morphology of these single-component organic particles is amorphous. When NaCl is mixed with the organics, the particles adopt a core–shell morphology with a cubic NaCl core and the organics forming a shell similar to what is observed for the authentic SSA samples. The observation of such core–shell morphologies is found to be highly dependent on the salt to organic ratio and varies depending on the nature and solubility of the organic component. Additionally, single particle organic volume fraction AFM analysis of NaCl : glucose and NaCl : laminarin mixtures shows that the ratio of salt to organics in solution does not correspond exactly for individual particles – showing diversity within the ensemble of particles produced even for a simple two component system.

The water uptake behavior of atmospheric aerosol dictates their climate effects. In many studies, aerosol particles are deposited onto solid substrates to measure water uptake; however, the effects of the substrate are not well understood. Furthermore, in some cases, methods used to analyze and quantify water uptake of substrate deposited particles use a two-dimensional (2D) analysis to monitor growth by following changes in the particle diameter with relative humidity (RH). However, this 2D analysis assumes that the droplet grows equally in all directions. If particle growth is not isotropic in height and diameter, this assumption can cause inaccuracies when quantifying hygroscopic growth factors (GFs), where GF for a for a spherical particle is defined as the ratio of the particle diameter at a particular relative humidity divided by the dry particle diameter (typically about 5% RH). However, as shown here, anisotropic growth can occur in some cases. In these cases, a three-dimensional (3D) analysis of the growth is needed. This study introduces a way to quantify the hygroscopic growth of substrate deposited particles composed of model systems relevant to atmospheric aerosols using atomic force microscopy (AFM), which gives information on both the particle height and area and thus a three-dimensional view of each particle. In this study, we compare GFs of submicrometer sized particles composed of single component sodium chloride (NaCl) and malonic acid (MA), as well as binary mixtures of NaCl and MA, and NaCl and nonanoic acid (NA) determined by AFM using area (2D) equivalent diameters, similar to conventional microscopy methods, to GFs determined using volume (3D) equivalent diameter. We also compare these values to GFs determined by a hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA; substrate free, 3D method). It was found that utilizing volume equivalent diameter for quantifying GFs with AFM agreed well with those determined by substrate-free HTDMA method, regardless of particle composition but area equivalent derived GFs varied for different chemical systems. Furthermore, the NaCl and MA mixture was substrate-deposited both wet and dry, revealing that the hydration state of the particle at the time of impaction influences how the particle grows on the substrate upon water uptake. Most importantly, for the binary mixtures it is shown here that different populations of particles can be distinguished with AFM, an individual particle method, whereas HTDMA sees the ensemble average. Overall, this study establishes the methodology of using AFM to accurately quantify the water uptake of individual submicrometer particles at ambient conditions over a wide range of RH values. Furthermore, the importance of single particle AFM analysis is demonstrated.

A correlation between Young’s modulus, as determined by using nanoindentation atomic force microscopy (AFM), and atomic polarizability is observed for members of a series of cocrystals based on systematic changes to one cocrystal component. Time domain spectroscopy over terahertz frequencies (THz-TDS) is used for the first time to directly measure the polarizability of macro- and nanosized organic solids. Cocrystals of both macro- and nanodimensions with highly polarizable atoms result in softer solids and correspondingly higher polarizabilities.

Surface tension, an important property of liquids, is easily measured for bulk samples. However, for droplets smaller than one micron in size, there are currently no reported measurements. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and force spectroscopy have been utilized to measure surface tension of individual submicron sized droplets at ambient pressure and controlled relative humidity (RH). Since the surface tension of atmospheric aerosols is a key factor in understanding aerosol climate effects, three atmospherically relevant systems (NaCl, malonic and glutaric acids) were studied. Single particle AFM measurements were successfully implemented in measuring the surface tension of deliquesced particles on the order of 200 to 500 nm in diameter. Deliquesced particles continuously uptake water at high RH, which changes the concentration and surface tension of the droplets. Therefore, surface tension as a function of RH was measured. AFM based surface tension measurements are close to predicted values based on bulk measurements and activities of these three chemical systems. Non-ideal behaviour in concentrated organic acid droplets is thought to be important and the reason for differences observed between bulk solution predictions and AFM data. Consequently, these measurements are crucial in order to improve atmospheric climate models as direct measurements hitherto have been previously inaccessible due to instrument limitations.

Atmospheric aerosols are often collected on substrates and analyzed weeks or months after the initial collection. We investigated how the selection of substrate and microscopy method influence the measured size, phase, and morphology of sea spray aerosol (SSA) particles and how sample storage conditions affect individual particles using three common microscopy techniques: optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to determine changes in the water content of stored particles. The results show that microscopy techniques operating under ambient conditions provide the most relevant and robust measurement of particle size. Samples stored in a desiccator and at ambient conditions leads to similar sizes and morphologies, while storage that involves freezing and thawing leads to irreversible changes due to phase changes and water condensation. Typically, SSA particles are deposited wet and, if possible, samples used for single-particle analysis should be stored at or near conditions at which they were collected in order to avoid dehydration. However, if samples need to be dry, as is often the case, then this study found that storing SSA particles at ambient laboratory conditions (17–23% RH and 19–21 °C) was effective at preserving them and reducing changes that would alter samples and subsequent data interpretation.

Understanding the interactions of water with atmospheric aerosols is crucial for determining the size, physical state, reactivity, and climate impacts of this important component of the Earth’s atmosphere. Here we show that water uptake and hygroscopic growth of multicomponent, atmospherically relevant particles can be size dependent when comparing 100 nm versus ca. 6 μm sized particles. It was determined that particles composed of ammonium sulfate with succinic acid and of a mixture of chlorides typical of the marine environment show size-dependent hygroscopic behavior. Microscopic analysis of the distribution of components within the aerosol particles show that the size dependence is due to differences in the mixing state, that is, whether particles are homogeneously mixed or phase separated, for different sized particles. This morphology-dependent hygroscopicity has consequences for heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry as well as aerosol interactions with electromagnetic radiation and clouds.

Ag(I) is used to form a π-stacked metal–organic solid that exhibits remarkably high electrical conductivity. The solid undergoes a single-crystal-to-single-crystal [2+2] photodimerization to generate a 1D coordination polymer with over 40% higher conductivity. The Ag(I) complex represents the first example of an increase in conductivity resulting from a [2+2] photodimerization. Density of states calculations show a higher contribution from Ag(I) ions to the valence band in the photodimerized solid, supporting the increase in conductivity.

Atmospheric aging of naturally emitted marine aerosol often leads to formation of internally mixed particles composed of sea salts and water-soluble organic compounds of anthropogenic origin. Mixing of sea salt and organic components has profound effects on the evolving chemical composition and hygroscopic properties of the resulted particles, which are poorly understood. Here, we have studied chemical composition and hygroscopic properties of laboratory generated NaCl particles mixed with malonic acid (MA) and glutaric acid (GA) at different molar ratios using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray elemental microanalysis. Hygroscopic properties of internally mixed NaCl and organic acid particles were distinctly different from pure components and varied significantly with the type and amount of organic compound present. Experimental results were in a good agreement with the AIM modeling calculations of gas/liquid/solid partitioning in studied systems. X-ray elemental microanalysis of particles showed that Cl/Na ratio decreased with increasing organic acid component in the particles with MA yielding lower ratios relative to GA. We attribute the depletion of chloride to the formation of sodium malonate and sodium glutarate salts resulted by HCl evaporation from dehydrating particles.

An approach to form organic thin films that employs multicomponent solids in the form of co-crystals has been developed. The components direct an intermolecular [2+2] photodimerization that we demonstrate exhibits a change in solubility that can be exploited as a negative photoresist for use in photolithography.

Metallogels form from Cu(II) ions and tetratopic ligand rctt-1,2-bis(3-pyridyl)-3,4-bis(4-pyridyl)cyclobutane. The tetrapyridyl cyclobutane has been synthesized in the organic solid state. The gel forms with a variety of counteranions and gels water. The hydrogel is thixotropic and is composed of nanoscale metal−organic particles (NMOPs), a high surface area of which likely accounts for the gelation of the polar aqueous medium. A shear stress profile of the thixotropic hydrogel gave a yield value of 8.33 Pa. A novel combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) is used to assess the densities of individual NMOPs. A density of 1.37 g/cm3 has been determined. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study demonstrates the ability of the unsymmetrical cyclobutane 3,4′-tpcb to self-assemble with Cu(II) ions in [Cu2(hfac)4(3,4′-tpcb)]∞ (where hfac is hexafluoroacetylacetonate) to form a solvated 1D coordination polymer.

Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR) has one surface cysteine, C152, located opposite and distal to the active site. Here, we show that the enzyme spontaneously assembles on an ultraflat gold surface as a homogeneous, covalently bound monolayer. Surprisingly, the activity of the gold-immobilized ecDHFR as measured by radiographic analysis was found to be similar to that of the free enzyme in solution. Molecular recognition force spectroscopy was used to study the dissociation forces involved in the rupture of AFM probe-tethered methotrexate (MTX, a tight-binding inhibitor of DHFR) from the gold-immobilized enzyme. Treatment of the ecDHFR monolayer with free MTX diminished the interaction of the functionalized tip with the surface, suggesting that the interaction was indeed active-site specific. These findings demonstrate the viability of a simple and direct enzymatic surface-functionalization without the use of spacers, thus, opening the door to further applications in the area of biomacromolecular force spectroscopy.

Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy combined with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (STXM/NEXAFS) and optical microscopy coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (micro-FTIR) have been applied to observe hygroscopic growth and chemical changes in malonic acid particles deposited on substrates. The extent of the hygroscopic growth of particles has been quantified in terms of the corresponding water-to-solute ratios (WSR) based on STXM/NEXAFS and micro-FTIR data sets. WSR values derived separately from two applied methods displayed a remarkable agreement with previous data reported in the literature. Comparison of NEXAFS and FTIR spectra acquired at different relative humidity (RH) shows efficient keto−enol tautomerization of malonic acid, with the enol form dominating at higher RH. The keto−enol equilibrium constants were calculated using relevant peak intensities in the carbon and oxygen K-edge NEXAFS spectra as a function of RH. We report strong dependence of the equilibrium constant on RH, with measured values of 0.18 ± 0.03, 1.11 ± 0.14, and 2.33 ± 0.37 corresponding to 2, 50, and 90% RH, respectively. Enols are important intermediates in aldol condensation reactions pertaining to formation and atmospheric aging of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The present knowledge assumes that constituents of atmospheric deliquesced particles undergo aqueous chemistry with kinetic and equilibrium constants analogous to reactions in bulk solutions, which would estimate absolute dominance of the keto form of carboxylic acids. For instance, the keto−enol equilibrium constant of malonic acid in diluted aqueous solution is <10−4. Our results suggest that in deliquesced micrometer-size particles, carboxylic acids may exist in predominantly enol forms that need to be explicitly considered in atmospheric aerosol chemistry.

A novel application of single particle scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy is presented for quantitative analysis of hygroscopic properties and phase transitions of individual submicrometer particles. The approach utilizes the exposure of substrate-deposited individual particles to water vapor at different relative humidity followed by STXM/NEXAFS spectromicroscopy analysis. The hygroscopic properties of atmospherically relevant NaCl, NaBr, NaI, and NaNO3 submicrometer particles were measured to evaluate the utility of the approach. An analytical approach for quantification of a water-to-solute ratio within an individual submicrometer particle during hydration and dehydration cycles is presented. The results for the deliquescence and efflorescence phase transitions and quantitative measurements of water-to-solute ratios are found in excellent agreement with available literature data. Oxygen K-edge NEXAFS spectra of submicrometer sodium halide droplets are reported along with a unique experimental observation of the formation of the halide−water anionic complex in NaBr and NaI microdimensional droplets. The analytical approach provides a unique opportunity for spectromicroscopy studies of water uptake on environmental particles collected in both laboratory and field studies.

The electrical conduction of metal−molecule−metal junctions formed between Au-supported self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of symmetric tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivatives and a Pt-coated atomic force microscope (AFM) tip has been measured under different compression forces using conducting probe AFM. The TTFs are linked to the metal through double metal−thiol linkers on both sides of the molecule. The TTF junctions exhibit remarkably high electrical conduction with estimated single molecule resistance of 14.7 ± 3.4 GΩ, corresponding to the molecular resistivity of 390 Ω·cm. A single molecule resistance of a comparable length 1-decanethiol molecule is estimated to be several orders of magnitude higher with the value of 950 ± 22 GΩ. The TTF junction resistance displayed a unique nonlinear dependence with the compression force. The dependence is attributed to the change in the intermolecular electronic coupling between the TTF molecules.

An approach to form organic thin films that employs multicomponent solids in the form of co-crystals has been developed. The components direct an intermolecular [2+2] photodimerization that we demonstrate exhibits a change in solubility that can be exploited as a negative photoresist for use in photolithography.

Surface tension, an important property of liquids, is easily measured for bulk samples. However, for droplets smaller than one micron in size, there are currently no reported measurements. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and force spectroscopy have been utilized to measure surface tension of individual submicron sized droplets at ambient pressure and controlled relative humidity (RH). Since the surface tension of atmospheric aerosols is a key factor in understanding aerosol climate effects, three atmospherically relevant systems (NaCl, malonic and glutaric acids) were studied. Single particle AFM measurements were successfully implemented in measuring the surface tension of deliquesced particles on the order of 200 to 500 nm in diameter. Deliquesced particles continuously uptake water at high RH, which changes the concentration and surface tension of the droplets. Therefore, surface tension as a function of RH was measured. AFM based surface tension measurements are close to predicted values based on bulk measurements and activities of these three chemical systems. Non-ideal behaviour in concentrated organic acid droplets is thought to be important and the reason for differences observed between bulk solution predictions and AFM data. Consequently, these measurements are crucial in order to improve atmospheric climate models as direct measurements hitherto have been previously inaccessible due to instrument limitations.