Mass, charge, and radius of droplets in a linear quadrupole electrodynamic balance

Single particle levitation is a key tool in the analysis of the physicochemical properties of aerosol particles. Central to these techniques is the ability to determine the size of the confined particle or droplet, usually achieved via optical methods. While some of these methods are extremely accurate, they are not suitable for all applications and sample types, such as solid or optically absorbing particles. In this work, measurements of the radius, mass, and charge of droplets in a linear quadrupole electrodynamic balance (LQ-EDB) are reported. Using the elastic light scattering pattern produced by laser illumination, a method to determine the radius is described, with an accuracy of as good as +/- 60 nm and a sensitivity to changes on the order of 10 nm. The effect of refractive index on these measurements is explored by application of the technique to simulated data using Mie theory. In addition to radius, the relative and absolute mass and charge of droplets in the trap is measured from the voltage required to stabilize their vertical position. These measurements are facilitated by stacking multiple droplets in the LQ-EDB and solving the force balance equations to yield both parameters. These approaches are demonstrated through measurements of the evaporation of pure ethylene glycol and pure water droplets, the change in density of an aqueous glycerol solution as water evaporates, and the mass and charge of pure glycerol droplets. Copyright (c) 2019 American Association for Aerosol Research