Intensification of silver nanoparticle synthesis through continuous flow split and recombine microreactors

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles play a crucial role in various everyday applications, including medical, chemical synthesis, and biological uses. In this study, we employed split and recombine geometric configurations to assess the mixing efficiency of silver nitrate and sodium borohydride precursors, aiming to investigate both the yield and the polydispersity of silver nanoparticles. The utilization of the curvature-induced flow route within the split and recombine microreactors allowed us to explore the effectiveness of mixing and its influence on nanoparticle yield, specifically in achieving precise control over particle sizes, in comparison to a linear flow path. We analyzed the mixing efficiency across a range of flow rates, spanning from diffusion-dominated flows to advection-dominated flows. The Dean flow investigation at various channel sites demonstrated enhanced capabilities of curvature-induced microreactors. The variation in the linearity of the flow path along the channel length was examined to understand the impact of curvature on the final yield of size-controlled nanoparticles. This study highlights the crucial role of curvature in curved microreactors during the continuous flow synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its impact on size distribution.