Process intensification of copper chromite (CuCr2O4) nanoparticle production using continuous flow microreactor

Abstract

The present study deals with the production of monodispersed copper chromite nanoparticles in a continuousflowmicrochannelreactor.Theprecursorsusedwereaqueoussolutionsofcoppernitrateand chromiumnitrate.Amixtureoftheprecursoratafixedcoppertochromiummetalionratioandcitricacid were infused in a continuous flow microreactor maintained at a constant temperature of 80C and followed by calcinations at 200C for a fixed duration of 2h to yield the nano powder. The effect of differentCu/Crmetalionratiosontheparticlesizewasstudied.TheoptimumvalueofflowrateandCu/Cr ratio was found to be 75 and 0.5mL/h, respectively. The particle size of obtained copper chromite nanoparticles wasmeasuredtobeintherange192–300nm,relativelysmallercomparedtothatobtained in a batch reactor. The effect of different types of surfactants on the particle size was also studied and it was observed that the surfactants played an important role in controlling nucleation during particle formation and subsequent growth of the particles.