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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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CHALLENGES IN CHARACTERIZING
SMALL PARTICLES
Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale

 

A WORKSHOP SUMMARY

 

 

 

Tina Mosciangioli and Joe Alper, Rapporteurs


Chemical Sciences Roundtable

Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology

Division on Earth and Life Studies


 

 

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS     500 Fifth Street, NW     Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This material is based upon the work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under award number DE-FG02-07ER15872, the National Institutes of Health under award number N01-OD-4-2139, TO# 25, and the National Science Foundation under grant number CHE-0936388.

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-22590-8
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-22590-6

Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

Cover art: Ionic map of atmospheric particles enriched in sulfate (green) and methane (blue) typical for a marine environment. Courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Copyright 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
×

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
×

CHEMICAL SCIENCES ROUNDTABLE

MARK A. BARTEAU, Co-Chair, University of Delaware, Newark

WILLIAM F. CARROLL, JR., Co-Chair, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Dallas, Texas

DONNA G. BLACKMOND, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California

MICHAEL R. BERMAN, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Virginia

CAROL BEWLEY, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland

PAUL F. BRYAN, Independent Consultant

EMILIO BUNEL, Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois

ALLISON CAMPBELL, WR Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Richland, Washington

MARK CARDILLO, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, New York

A. WELFORD CASTLEMAN, JR., Pennsylvania State University, University Park

RICHARD R. CAVANAGH, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland

KELSEY COOK, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Washington, D.C.

JENNIFER SINCLAIR CURTIS, University of Florida, Gainesville

TERESA FRYBERGER, NASA Earth Sciences Division, Washington, D.C.

MIGUEL GARCIA-GARIBAY, University of California, Los Angeles

JOHN W. KOZARICH, ActivX Biosciences Inc., La Jolla, California

LUIS E. MARTINEZ, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida

JOHN J. MCGRATH, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia

KENNETH G. MOLOY, DuPont Company Experimental Station, Wilmington, Delaware

ROBERT PEOPLES, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.

MATTHEW PLATZ, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia

MICHAEL E. ROGERS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

ERIC ROHLFING, U.S. Department of Energy, Germantown, Maryland

JAMES M. SOLYST, ENVIRON International Corporation, Arlington, Virginia

KATHLEEN J. STEBE, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

PATRICIA A. THIEL, Iowa State University, Ames

LEVI THOMPSON,* University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

RICHARD P. VAN DUYNE, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

STAFF

DOROTHY ZOLANDZ, Director, Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology

AMANDA CLINE, Administrative Assistant

KATHRYN HUGHES, Program Officer

TINA M. MASCIANGIOLI, Responsible Staff Officer

DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN, Program Officer

SHEENA SIDDIQUI, Senior Program Associate

RACHEL YANCEY, Senior Program Assistant

_________________________

* These members of the Chemical Sciences Roundtable served on the Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscales workshop organizing committee, but they were not involved in the writing of this workshop summary. In addition to the asterisked members above, Barbara Finlayson-Pitts of the University of California, Irvine and Douglas Ray of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory also oversaw the planning of the workshop.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
×

BOARD ON CHEMICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

PABLO DEBENEDETTI, Co-Chair, Princeton University, New Jersey

C. DALE POULTER, Co-Chair, University of Utah, Salt Lake City

ZHENAN BAO, Stanford University, California

ROBERT BERGMAN, University of California, Berkeley

HENRY BRYNDZA, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Delaware

EMILY CARTER, Princeton University, New Jersey

DAVID CHRISTIANSON, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

MARY JANE HAGENSON, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, The Woodlands, Texas

CAROL J. HENRY, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

JILL HRUBY, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

MICHAEL C. KERBY, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, Texas

CHARLES E. KOLB, Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts

JOSEF MICHL, University of Colorado, Boulder

SANDER G. MILLS, Merck, Sharp, & Dohme Corporation, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey

DAVID MORSE, Corning, Inc., Corning, New York

ROBERT E. ROBERTS, Institute for Defense Analyses, Washington, D.C.

DARLENE J. S. SOLOMON, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, California

JEAN TOM, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hopewell Township, New Jersey

DAVID WALT, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts

STAFF

DOROTHY ZOLANDZ, Director

AMANDA CLINE, Administrative Assistant

DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN, Program Officer

KATHRYN HUGHES, Program Officer

TINA M. MASCIANGIOLI, Senior Program Officer

SHEENA SIDDIQUI, Senior Program Associate

RACHEL YANCEY, Senior Program Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
×

Preface

The Chemical Sciences Roundtable (CSR) was established in 1997 by the National Research Council. It provides a science-oriented apolitical forum for leaders in the chemical sciences to discuss chemistry-related issues affecting government, industry, and universities. Organized by the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology, the CSR aims to strengthen the chemical sciences by fostering communication among the people and organizations—spanning industry, government, universities, and professional associations—involved with the chemical enterprise. One way it does this is by organizing workshops that address issues in chemical science and technology that require national or more widespread attention.

On October 25-26, 2010, the CSR held a 1.5-day workshop that explored new opportunities, challenges, and approaches to characterizing small particles and understanding their impacts. Small particles—about one nanometer to tens of microns—are ubiquitous in the natural and man-made worlds. In many scientific and engineering domains, uncertainty about the properties and chemical composition of small particles limits our ability to understand, predict, and control their applications and impacts.

The workshop included several overview presentations highlighting the critical importance of small particles in environmental science, materials and chemical sciences, biological science, and engineering. In addition, several presentations highlighted new advances in characterizing small particles, including static, dynamic, experimental, computational, and theoretical approaches.

This document summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place at the workshop. In accordance with the NRC’s policies, the workshop did not attempt to establish any conclusions or recommendations about needs and future directions, focusing instead on issues identified by the speakers and workshop participants. In addition, the organizing committee’s role was limited to planning the workshop. This workshop summary has been prepared by the rapporteurs Joe Alper and Tina Masciangioli as a factual summary of what occurred at the workshop.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This workshop summary has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the NRC’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published summary as sound as possible and to ensure that the summary meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this workshop summary:

Patricia Thiel, Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory, Iowa

Darlene Solomon, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, California

Renyi Zhang, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Kai Loon Chen, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they did not see the final draft of the workshop summary before its release. The review of this summary was overseen by Richard Flagan, California Institute of Technology. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this summary was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this summary rests entirely with the authors and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
×
Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
×

Acronyms

AMPI atomistic model for particle interception
API active pharmaceutical ingredient
CAPs concentrated ambient PM2.5
CFC chlorofluorocarbon
CSN Chemical Speciation Network
CSR Chemical Sciences Roundtable
CT computed tomography
EDS energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy
EELS electron energy loss spectroscopy
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research
NIBIB National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
NIGMS National Institute of General Medical Sciences
NIH National Institutes of Health
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
NOM natural organic matter
NPACT National Particle Component Toxicity Initiative
NRC National Research Council
NRL Naval Research Laboratory
NSF National Science Foundation
ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory
PM particulate matter
SAX small-angle x-ray scattering
SBIR Small Business Innovation Research
SEM scanning electron microscopy
SOPS Engineering Research Center for Structured Organic Particulate Systems
STEM scanning transmission electron microscopy
STM scanning tunneling microscopy
TD-CIMS thermal desorption chemical ionization mass spectrometer
TEM transmission electron microscopy
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2012. Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscale: A Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13317.
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Small particles are ubiquitous in the natural and built worlds and have tremendous impact throughout. However, a lack of understanding about the properties and chemical composition of small particles limits our ability to predict, and control their applications and impacts.

Challenges in Characterizing Small Particles: Exploring Particles from the Nano- to Microscales summarizes presentations and discussions at a 2010 National Academies roundtable. Speakers at this roundtable discussed the crucial types of information that need to be determined about small particles in different media. They also explored the critical importance of small particles in environmental science, materials and chemical sciences, biological science, and engineering, and the many challenges involved in characterizing materials at the nano- and microscales. The discussions on characterization included static, dynamic, experimental, computational, and theoretical characterization. The workshop also included several "research tool" presentations that highlighted new advances in characterizing small particles.

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