title: Continuous Polyol Synthesis of Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using a Segmented Flow Tubular Reactor (SFTR).
abstract: Over the last years a new type of tubular plug flow reactor, the segmented flow tubular reactor (SFTR), has proven its versatility and robustness through the water-based synthesis of precipitates as varied as CaCO3, BaTiO3, Mn(1-x)NixC2O4·2H2O, YBa oxalates, copper oxalate, ZnS, ZnO, iron oxides, and TiO2 produced with a high powder quality (phase composition, particle size, and shape) and high reproducibility. The SFTR has been developed to overcome the classical problems of powder production scale-up from batch processes, which are mainly linked with mass and heat transfer. Recently, the SFTR concept has been further developed and applied for the synthesis of metals, metal oxides, and salts in form of nano- or micro-particles in organic solvents. This has been done by increasing the working temperature and modifying the particle carrying solvent. In this paper we summarize the experimental results for four materials prepared according to the polyol synthesis route combined with the SFTR. CeO2, Ni, Ag, and Ca3(PO4)2 nanoparticles (NPs) can be obtained with a production rate of about 1-10 g per h. The production was carried out for several hours with constant product quality. These findings further corroborate the reliability and versatility of the SFTR for high throughput powder production.
authors.affiliation: Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, CH-5232 Switzerland. andrea.testino@psi.ch.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Testino
authors.affiliation: Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, CH-5232 Switzerland. frank.pilger@psi.ch.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pilger
authors.affiliation: Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, CH-5232 Switzerland. mattia.lucchini@mat.ethz.ch.|Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland. mattia.lucchini@mat.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Mattia Alberto
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lucchini
authors.affiliation: EMPA, Laboratory for Functional Polymers, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland. paul.bowen@epfl.ch.|Powder Technology Laboratory (LTP), EPFL, MXD 336 CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. paul.bowen@epfl.ch.
authors.forename: Jose Enrico Q
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Quinsaat
authors.affiliation: RMS Foundation, Bischmattstrasse 12, CH-2544 Bettlach, Switzerland. christoph.staehli@rms-foundation.ch.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stähli
authors.affiliation: Powder Technology Laboratory (LTP), EPFL, MXD 336 CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. paul.bowen@epfl.ch.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D010087:Oxides; D011108:Polymers; C024617:polyol
keywords: SFTR; continuous nanoparticle synthesis; continuous polyol synthesis; ethylene glycol; segmented flow tubular reactor