Chemical Kinetics in Microdroplets

Abstract: Over that last 10+ years there has emerged some evidence that when a reaction vessel is reduced to the micron-sized dimensions (e.g. droplets), bimolecular reactions speed up by many orders of magnitude. The mechanism(s) for rate acceleration in droplets remains unclear but has clear implications for understanding the chemistry of atmospheric aerosols. A key uncertainty in the interpretation of droplet kinetics is how to properly link reaction rates measured in beaker scale containers with those occurring in micron-sized spaces. This challenge lies, in large part, in understanding the complex kinetic coupling of adsorption, desorption, and diffusion that link chemistry occurring at the surface of an aerosol or droplet with processes occurring in its interior. In this talk I will review our recent work combining novel single droplet experiments with stochastic reaction diffusion models to develop more robust understanding of reaction rates in small compartments where interfaces play a prominent role.