High-Rate continuous synthesis of Nanocrystalline perovskites and metal oxides in a colliding vapor stream of Microdroplets

A high-rate, continuous synthesis of functional nanomaterials using a home engineered reactor is reported. The reactor is able to produce low-cost, kilogram-scale BaTiO₃ nanopowders with a nanocrystalline particle size less than 30 nm at mild temperatures (<100 °C) and ambient pressure. Nebulization and collision of warm microdroplets (60-80 °C) of Ba(OH) ₂ and Ti(O-nBu)₄ very quickly result in total hydrolysis and subsequent conversion to BaTiO₃, yielding 1.3 kg/day of high purity, highly crystalline nanoparticles (25-30 nm). This synthesis procedure also enables high-rate production of TiO₂ anatase (2.9 kg/day). It therefore provides a general platform for processing and scaling up of functional inorganic nanomaterials under very mild conditions. Low-cost, kilogram-scale BaTiO₃ nanopowders are produced via a high-rate synthesis, giving a particle size <30 nm under mild conditions (<100 °C). Nebulization and collision of warm microdroplets of Ba(OH)₂ and Ti(O-nBu)₄ result in total hydrolysis and conversion to BaTiO₃, yielding 1.3 kg/day of high-purity, highly crystalline nanoparticles, as well as 2.9 kg/day TiO₂ anatase. It therefore provides a general platform for processing and scaling up functional inorganic nanomaterials under very mild conditions.