Molecular Nanosolids Generation by Vapor Jet Desublimation

Critical phenomena in nature (e.g., albedo, precipitation, pollination, etc.) depend on formation and transport of nanomaterials in the gas phase, as do many industrial processes. Yet controlling and predicting particle formation and growth in the gas phase, particularly involving small organic molecules, remains challenging. Here, controlled formation of nanoparticles composed of small molecular organic materials is achieved using a nitrogen-propelled vapor jet. The entire process is modeled in detail using multiphysics simulation, linking materials' thermophysical properties to processing conditions, and the model is experimentally validated. This combined experimental and modeling approach presented here for controllably generating pure, molecular organic nanoparticles has broad applications in pharmaceutical, flavoring, dyeing, and electronics.