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Does molecular HNO 3 adsorb onto sulfuric acid droplet surfaces?
Author(s) -
Donaldson D. J.,
Anderson Darren
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl010894
Subject(s) - sulfuric acid , nitric acid , surface tension , adsorption , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
Room temperature surface tension measurements on the ternary system: nitric acid‐sulfuric acid‐water are reported. There is a dramatic decrease in the surface tension of sulfuric acid‐water solutions as nitric acid is added. This decrease is most pronounced in the stratospherically‐relevant range of sulfuric acid concentrations, between 50 and 75 wt% sulfuric acid. The surface tension decrease indicates a change in surface energy and surface composition and/or structure associated with partitioning of molecular HNO 3 to the surface. The presence of HNO 3 at the surface may be related to the reported changes in heterogeneous reactivity of sulfuric acid solutions when exposed to nitric acid.