Continuous Flow Synthesis of Bismuth Nanoparticles: A Well-Controlled Nano-Object Size Thanks to Successful Scaling-Up

Abstract

Access to reproducible, large-scale, and simple synthesis of metal nanoparticles with a well-controlled size are major challenges, given the interest in nanoparticles in many applications. In this work, the presentation of various millifluidic devices ranging from small to high throughput shows a major interest in satisfying the extensive needs of users from milligrams to several tens of milligrams and, especially, in improving stability and size distributions. The metal bismuth nanoparticles synthesis was developed using a simple procedure in a basic solution. This continuous flow process demonstrated the capacity to produce up to 7 g per day of nanoparticles with a flow rate fixed at 15 mL min^–1. This process highlighted the synthesis with an attractive E-factor and low energy consumption compared to conventional methods. From low scale to semi-industrial scales, access to homogeneous and eco-friendly nanoparticles is often complex but truly attractive for important applications in chemical, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries.