Sub-picoliter Traceability of Microdroplet Gravimetry and Microscopy

Published

December 20, 2021

Author(s)

Lindsay C. C. Elliott, Adam L. Pintar, Craig R. Copeland, Thomas Brian Renegar, Ronald G. Dixson, Robert Ilic, R. Michael Verkouteren, Samuel M. Stavis

Abstract

Volumetric analysis of single microdroplets is difficult to perform by ensemble gravimetry, whereas optical microscopy is often inaccurate beyond the resolution limit. To address the latter issue, we advance and integrate these complementary methods, introducing simultaneous measurements of the same microdroplets, comprehensive calibrations that are inde-pendently traceable to the International System of Units (SI), and Monte-Carlo evaluations of uncertainty. We achieve ex-cellent agreement in measurements of microdroplets in flight with volumes of approximately 70 pL, with gravimetry and microscopy both yielding 95% coverage intervals of ± 0.6 pL, or relative uncertainties of ± 0.9%, and root-mean-square de-viations of mean values between the two methods of 0.2 pL, or 0.3%. These uncertainties match previous gravimetry results and improve upon previous microscopy results by an order of magnitude. Gravimetry precision depends on the continuity of droplet formation, whereas microscopy accuracy requires that optical diffraction from an edge reference resembles that from a microdroplet. Applying our microscopy method, we jet and image water microdroplets containing submicrometer plastic particles, count single particles after deposition, and transfer volumetric traceability to suspension concentration. We expect that our methods will impact diverse fields requiring dimensional metrology and volumetric analysis of single micro-droplets, including inkjet microfabrication, droplet epidemiology, and industrial sprays.

Citation

Analytical Chemistry

Volume

94

Issue

2

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02640

Local Download

Keywords

single microdroplet volume, edge diffraction, optical edge, fraunhofer approximation, edge threshold, edge reference, gravimetry, imaging, shadowgraphy, transmission, metrology, monte carlo uncertainty, SI traceability, inkjet printing, in-flight, particle concentration, water contaminants

Citation

Elliott, L. , Pintar, A. , Copeland, C. , Renegar, T. , Dixson, R. , Ilic, R. , Verkouteren, R. and Stavis, S. (2021), Sub-picoliter Traceability of Microdroplet Gravimetry and Microscopy, Analytical Chemistry, [online], https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02640, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=932597 (Accessed May 10, 2024)