Continuous Production of Metal Nanoparticles

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Continuous Production of Metal Nanoparticles
Everett Carpenter VCU John Monnier USC Frank
Gupton VCU
Center for Rational Catalyst Synthesis University
of South Carolina, Columbia, SC June 2014
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Research Team Everett Carpenter, John
Monnier, B. Frank Gupton Overview Utilize
continuous reactor technology for the production
of metal nanoparticles in order to increase both
the quantity and quality of these materials.  
Continuous Production of Metal Nanoparticles
With and Without Microwave Irradiation
Technical Information We will use continuous
processing methods to explore the ability to
produce to produce bimetallic materials from
Group IB (Cu, Ag and Au) and Group VIII (Pd and
Pt) metal salts.
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Industrial Relevance

• Although a significant effort has been made in
  the characterization and application of these
  materials, viable commercial manufacturing
  methods for these materials remain a challenge.
  The manufacturing processes for the production of
  metal nanoparticles typically employs a batch
  processing strategy in which metal salts are
  chemically reduced to produce the metal
  nanoparticles. There are several drawbacks with
  this approach which include
• Batch to batch variability of physical properties
  and performance
• Inability to produce large quantities of material
• Uncontrolled nucleation on heat transfer surfaces
• Lack of control of critical process parameters
• These barriers are further enhanced by using
  conventional heating techniques that may pose
  hazardous environmental and working conditions.
  Such issues are significant to the commercial
  production and therefore availability of metal
  nanoparticles for industrial applications.

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Goals of the Proposal
Use continuous reactor system to explore the
ability to produce bimetallic materials from
Group IB (Cu, Ag and Au) and Group VIII (Pd and
Pt) metal salts. We anticipate that this
approach will

• Achieve better control of metal nanoparticles
  physical properties
• Increase throughput of metal nanoparticle
  manufacturing
• Improve safety of and reduce exposure to
  nanomaterials

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Proposed Hypothesis
Continuous reactor technology can be applied to
the production of metal nanoparticles with and
without the use of microwaves, which will provide
a reproducible source of materials that can be
effectively controlled to meet specific
application requirements.
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Research Methods/ Techniques

• Evaluate the effect of heating and flow rate
  on particle size distribution
• Factorial design of experiments
• Conventional Heating vs Microwave
• Determine valence state, metal dispersion and
  particle size distribution
• Measure exposed metal sites of bimetallic
  materials by CO adsorption

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Outcomes/ Deliverables

• Successful demonstration of continuous production
  of metal nanoparticles
• Control and characterization of particle size and
  dispersion bimetallic species
• CO adsorption in EtOH, H2O, and EtOH/H2O mixtures
  on metal nanoparticles
• Measurement of adsorption behavior (including
  competitive adsorption) at different
  concentrations and temperatures in order to
  develop mechanistic models for these processes

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Impact

• Demonstration of method for continuous production
  of metal nanomaterials
• Evaluation and charactorization of bimetallic
  materials from Group IB (Cu, Ag and Au) and Group
  VIII (Pd and Pt) metal salt.
• Measurment of the exposed metal sites of the
  bimetallic materials by CO adsorption

Duration of Project and Proposed Budget

• Two Years
• 60,000 Year 1
• 60,000 Year 2