Organization: Tele and Radio Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
Theme:
Cooperation Work Programme: NMP
Topic:
NMP-2008-1.2-3 Development of technologies for the controlled combustion of nanoparticles
NMP-2008-1.3-1 Validation, adaptation and/or development of risk assessment methodology for
engineered nano-particles
NMP-2008-1.3-2 Impact of engineered nanoparticles on health and the environment
Contact: Dr. Piotr Konarski
Tele and Radio Research Institute
ul. Dluga 44/50, 00-241 Warszawa, Poland
Tel. +48-22-8315221 ext. 285, piotr.konarski@pie.edu.pl
http://www.pie.edu.pl/Eng/index_ang.html
Country: Poland
Title:
Characterization of “core – shell” structure of nanoparticles
We are interested in collaboration in the field of nanoparticle characterization and health effects.
My profile:
In our institute we apply several methods of advanced characterization of particulate matter. We
analyze engineered nanoparticles as well as urban aerosols/particles suspended in air. We collect aerosol
particles and then analyze their morphology and structure by using ion beam sputtering in depth profile
analysis of the collected material. For such analyses we apply well established secondary ion mass
spectrometry (SIMS) technique as well as recently developed in our institute glow discharge mass
spectrometry (GDMS). These two techniques allow to characterize investigated material in the manner
not possible by standard techniques of aerosol analysis. In order to analyze particles we deposit collected
particulate material onto the substrate, introduce into vacuum and bombard with Argon ions. Ion
bombardment causes gradual sputtering of atomic layers of particles and allows for registration of a
depth profiles of these particles. Emitted sputtered material reflects the structure of particles. This kind
of analysis allows to find what kind of substances stick to particle’s surface - forming shell layer and what
other substances form cores of particles. Description of such a “core – shell” structure can reflect the
history of particle and approach understanding of aerosols chemistry and emissions characteristics in
polluted urban environment. Recently we found different structural compositions of particles depending
on size class as well as on collection site location. We use particle cascade impactors to study grain size
distributions an perform size dependent studies of structural composition of particles suspended in air.
Instrumentation
Particle collectors: PK-3 9 stage rotating stage cascade impactor, SKC 4- stage Sioutas cascade impactor
SIMS - SAJW-05, mass spec. - Balzers QMA-410, ion gun - Physical Electr., sample rotation stage etc.
GDMS - SMWJ-01, quadrupole mass spec. SRS 200
Spark Source Mass Spectrometer (SSMS) - magnetic sector instrument JEOL JMS-01BM2
X-ray Diffraction Analyzer - Siemens D-500
We would be very glad if we could cooperate within the program FP7-ENV-NMP-2008-2.
Currently we form a Laboratory of Vacuum Instruments in Tele and Radio Research Institute (TRRI) in
Warsaw, Poland. The group working on aerosol characterization now is 6 person. Below we list our
recent papers on this subject.
1. P. Konarski, J. Haluszka and M. Cwil, “Comparison of urban and rural particulate air pollution
characteristics obtained by SIMS and SSMS”, Applied Surface Science, Volume 252, Issue 19, 2006,
Pages 7010-7013
2. P. Konarski, J. Haluszka, M. Cwil et al., “Ion beam analysis of urban aerosol micro- and nanoparticles
compared with environmentally related children diseases in two Polish towns”, Vacuum 78/2-4, 2005,
Pages 297-301.
3. P. Konarski, I. Iwanejko, M. Cwil “Core-shell morphology of welding fume micro- and nanoparticles”,
Vacuum 70/2-3 pp. 385-389 (2003).