From Precursors to Pollutants: Some Advances in Combustion Chemistry Diagnostics

The present assessment and prediction of potential pollutant emissions from combustion systems often rely on dedicated combustion models. Their validation depends on the critical examination of the relevant chemical reaction pathways. To this end, a number of combustion diagnostic techniques are available which can probe important chemical constituents in situ, thus providing direct information on the progress of the combustion reactions. Here, some recent experimental advances for the investigation of a suite of targets from molecular intermediates and soot precursors to nascent particles will be presented. Examples include the application of quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS), molecular-beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) with different ionization schemes, photoelectron–photoion coincidence (PEPICO) spectroscopy, helium ion microscopy (HIM), and polarization-modulated infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS)