Vacuum FTIR observation on hygroscopic properties and phase transition of malonic acid aerosols

•Vacuum FTIR was used to observe hygroscopic property and phase transition of malonic acid aerosols.•The evolution of hydrogen-bonding structures of malonic acid aerosols took place from (H2O)n-MA to MA-MA accompanying with phase transition in the dehumidifying process.•The stepwise efflorescence of MA aerosols and nucleation rates at different RHs are first reported.•Nucleation rates of MA aerosols increased with decreasing RH.

A novel approach based on a combination of a pulse relative humidity (RH) controlling system and a rapid scan vacuum FTIR spectrometer was utilized to investigate the hygroscopic property and phase transition of malonic acid (MA) aerosols. By using this approach, both water vapor amount around the aerosols and water content within aerosols with sub-second time resolution were obtained. Based on the features of FTIR absorbing bands, it can be known that the evolution of hydrogen-bonding structures of malonic acid aerosols took place from (H2O)n-MA to MA-MA accompanying with phase transition in the dehumidifying process. And in present paper, the stepwise efflorescence of MA aerosols and nucleation rates at different RHs are first reported. Our observation has shown that the efflorescence of MA started at ∼17% RH and the nucleation rates increased with decreasing RH.

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