Droplet-based microreactors for continuous production of palladium nanocrystals with controlled sizes and shapes

Droplet-based microreactors are used for the continuous production of Pd nanocrystals. Specifically, commercially available polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube and silica capillaries are utilized to fabricate a fluidic device capable of generating water-in-oil droplets. In addition to the feasibility of using such droplets as microreactors for conducting a synthesis, the ability to control the composition and concentration of reagents by adjusting the flow rates is demonstrated; reagents are mixed by periodically pinching the PTFE tube, and nanocrystals are produced with uniform size distribution in a continuous fashion. The capability to tailor the size and shape of the resultant nanocrystals is further demonstrated by introducing the reducing agent and capping agent at different flow rates to control the nucleation and growth processes. The ability to transform a bulk synthesis into a droplet-based system holds great potential for the development of a new route to the high-volume production of nanocrystals.