An investigation of aqueous ammonium nitrate aerosols with soft X-ray spectroscopy

Aqueous aerosols are important in atmospheric chemistry, drug delivery, and human health. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), a surface-sensitive technique near-edge absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) which informs on the bulk, is deployed to study solvation of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3). Aerosolised solutions NH4NO3 were introduced into spectrometer via an aerodynamic lens, interrogated with soft photons, resulting electrons imaged velocity map imaging. Density functional theory calculations performed compare measured binding energies NH4+ NO3− solvated water. The results reveal that anion has slight propensity for surface, while both ions present equal measure bulk.