PIF

Context

Nano- and microparticles are very important in all kinds of industries, products and applications. Many products of the chemical industry and most of the pharmaceutical industry are organic particles. However, the production of nano- and microparticles comes with several challenges like guaranteeing uniform size and size distribution, functionalization of the particles and reliable scale-up from lab to production scale.

Reactor miniaturization via flow chemistry can provide an answer to these challenges and can even outperform traditional batch processes when it comes to uniformity. The latter provides the opportunity in creating improved products. Flow chemistry offers fast and efficient mixing, performing controlled reactions under (high) pressure, better temperature control, and relatively easy scale-up. The use of flow chemistry leads to a more efficient production process with less waste production, as the synthesis of nano- and microparticles in flow reactors provides better control of particle size, shape, physical and chemical characteristics and particle size distribution.

Innovation goal

This project will focus on (1) fundamental knowledge gain in crystallization, dispersion and emulsification processes and the interaction of these particles with each other, with static mixers and the reactor wall, (2) process intensification by studying various (static and dynamic) mixers for the crystallization, dispersion and emulsification processes in extended reactor designs (loop versus full flow) and (3) scale up of these processes to pilot scale.