High-throughput synthesis of nanoparticles using oscillating feedback microreactors: a selective scaling-out strategy

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Traditional nanoparticle synthesis methods struggle with precise control over residence time and concentration, limiting throughput and quality.
• Passive oscillating feedback micromixers (OFMs) offer improved control but face challenges in scaling up throughput while maintaining microfluidic benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-throughput method for synthesizing high-quality barium sulfate (BaSO4) nanoparticles.
• To overcome the limitations of existing micromixer technologies in terms of production rate.

Main Methods:

• A selective scaling-out strategy was employed to create enlarged OFMs.
• A novel chaotic convection synthesis mode was utilized within the scaled-out OFMs.

Main Results:

• Enlarged OFMs successfully produced high-quality BaSO4 nanoparticles with a mean size of 24.91 nm and a size distribution of 10-50 nm.
• The system achieved a high throughput of 281.4 mL min⁻¹.
• The nanoparticle production rate reached 538.4 g h⁻¹, significantly surpassing previously reported rates.

Conclusions:

• The developed chaotic convection synthesis mode in enlarged OFMs enables high-throughput, high-quality nanoparticle production.
• This approach offers a promising solution for scaling up microfluidic nanoparticle synthesis.
• The findings represent a significant advancement in nanoparticle manufacturing efficiency.