TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of atmospheric-pressure spark generated atomic silver and gold clusters by time-of-flight mass spectrometry
AU - Maisser, A.
AU - Barmpounis, K.
AU - Holm, S.
AU - Attoui, M.
AU - Schmidt-Ott, A.
AU - Kangasluoma, J.
AU - Biskos, G.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The potential of using atmospheric-pressure spark ablation for production of atomic clusters has been shown in the recent past. In this study we used this method to produce atomic clusters in Argon and investigated their chemical composition with an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (APi-TOF-MS). Both anionic and cationic silver and gold clusters were generated and characterised. The carrier gas was used directly from the gas cylinder without the application of any additional gas purification. As a result, the carrier gas stream contained trace impurities of N2, O2, and H2O, as well as radicals such as O, OH, and H and their ionized forms resulting from the plasma created by the sparks. The experimental results show that different reactivities towards oxygen and water traces can be observed depending on the number of metal atoms in the clusters, their polarity, as well as their compositions; e.g., Aun− shows less reactive behaviour towards oxygen and hydrogen compared to Agn−. The results also show that certain cluster types can be generated at large enough quantities by atmospheric-pressure spark ablation, which considering the low installation and operating cost of the technique can pave the way towards its exploitation for numerous technological applications.
AB - The potential of using atmospheric-pressure spark ablation for production of atomic clusters has been shown in the recent past. In this study we used this method to produce atomic clusters in Argon and investigated their chemical composition with an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (APi-TOF-MS). Both anionic and cationic silver and gold clusters were generated and characterised. The carrier gas was used directly from the gas cylinder without the application of any additional gas purification. As a result, the carrier gas stream contained trace impurities of N2, O2, and H2O, as well as radicals such as O, OH, and H and their ionized forms resulting from the plasma created by the sparks. The experimental results show that different reactivities towards oxygen and water traces can be observed depending on the number of metal atoms in the clusters, their polarity, as well as their compositions; e.g., Aun− shows less reactive behaviour towards oxygen and hydrogen compared to Agn−. The results also show that certain cluster types can be generated at large enough quantities by atmospheric-pressure spark ablation, which considering the low installation and operating cost of the technique can pave the way towards its exploitation for numerous technological applications.
KW - Atomic clusters
KW - Cluster ions
KW - Gold clusters
KW - Mass spectrometry
KW - Silver clusters
KW - Spark discharge
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103246732&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2021.105780
DO - 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2021.105780
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85103246732
SN - 0021-8502
VL - 156
JO - Journal of Aerosol Science
JF - Journal of Aerosol Science
M1 - 105780
ER -