Ultrasonic nebulization in aqueous solutions and the role of interfacial adsorption dynamics in surfactant enrichment

Abstract

High-density micron-sized aerosols from liquid surfaces were generated using an ultrasonic (frequency = 1056 kHz) nebulization technique in the absence and presence of a number of surfactants. The surfactants included cationic surfactants, cetylpyridinium chloride and dodecylpyridinium chloride, and anionic surfactants, sodium dodecylben-zenesulfonate and sodium benzenesulfonate. The nebulization process generated aerosols of a narrow size distribution with a number mean diameter of about 3.4 μm, which is close to the theoretical value suggested by the Lang Equation. The aerosol droplets are enriched in surfactant as a consequence of the large interfacial area. The enrichment factor varied f..