Nanoparticle synthesis in microreactors

Abstract

Microreactors are microfluidic devices with a network of channels where chemical reactions can take place. The diameter of those channels is less than 1 millimeter. Advances of such devices are reduction of the time required for the synthesis, better control of the reaction and the size of nanoparticles. There are different materials from which microreactors can be fabricated. The most common are silicon (Si), polymers, glass, ceramics and metals. In this study, we used Si/Pyrex glass and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) materials to fabricate two types of microreactors. Both types of microreactors had integrated heaters but different length and width of microchannels. Reaction was performed on the same temperature (80⁰C) and with the same reaction time in both microreactors. Synthesis of titanium (IV)-oxide nanoparticles was performed in these microreactors, in order to show how dimension of microchannels can affect the size of nanoparticles. Size distribution of nanoparticles was determined with dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was concluded that dimensions of microchannels had great influence on the size of the nanoparticles.