Apparatus and method for continuous production of materials

A continuous-flow injection reactor for synthesizing particles, comprising:

• a mixing zone unit comprising a) an outer housing comprising a plurality of top inlets, a bottom outlet, and a side inlet positioned between the plurality of top inlets and the bottom outlet, b) a plurality of injection tubes inserted through the plurality of top inlets, wherein each of the plurality of injection tubes is of sufficient length to extend past the side inlet while terminating at about the lower edge of the side inlet and above the bottom outlet, and c) a mixing zone between lower ends of the plurality of tubes and the bottom outlet of the mixing zone unit;
• a first fluid source providing a first reactant solution, operably coupled to the side inlet;
• a first heater disposed between the first fluid source and the side inlet such that the first reactant solution flows from the first fluid source through the first heater before flowing into the side inlet;
• a second fluid source providing a second reactant solution, operably coupled to each of the plurality of injection tubes;
• a second heater disposed between the second fluid source and the plurality of injection tubes such that the second reactant solution flows from the second fluid source through the second heater before flowing into the plurality of injection tubes;
• a residence time unit comprising a) an outer housing having a length “l,” wherein the outer housing has a shape and diameter cooperatively dimensioned such that it can be removably coupled to the mixing zone unit, and b) a plurality of inner tubes positioned within the outer housing, the plurality of inner tubes extending at least length “l”;
• and
• a removable fitting configured to removably couple the residence time unit to the mixing zone unit.

A method for synthesizing particles, comprising:

• providing a first reactant solution;
• providing a second reactant solution;
• flowing the first reactant solution into a continuous-flow injection reactor comprising a mixing zone unit and a residence time unit, wherein the mixing zone unit comprises a) an outer housing comprising a top inlet, a bottom outlet, and a side inlet positioned between the top inlet and the bottom outlet, b) an injection tube inserted into the top inlet and positioned within the outer housing, the injection tube being of sufficient length to extend past the side inlet while terminating at about the lower edge of the side inlet and above the bottom outlet, and c) a mixing zone between a lower end of the injection tube and the bottom outlet of the mixing zone unit, and wherein the first reactant solution flows into the mixing zone unit through the side inlet at a flow rate sufficient to at least partially fill the outer housing between the side inlet and the bottom outlet;
• flowing the second reactant solution into the mixing zone unit through the injection tube inserted into the top inlet of the mixing zone unit at a flow rate suitable to combine a fluid stream of the second reactant solution with the first reactant solution in the mixing zone to produce a plurality of nucleated particles;
• flowing the plurality of nucleated nanoparticles into and through the residence time unit, wherein the residence time unit is maintained at a desired temperature;
• and
• collecting particles as they flow out of the residence time unit.

A method for synthesizing particles, comprising:

• providing a first reactant solution;
• providing a second reactant solution;
• flowing the first reactant solution into a continuous-flow injection reactor comprising a mixing zone unit and a residence time unit, wherein the mixing zone unit comprises a) an outer housing comprising a plurality of top inlets, a bottom outlet, and a side inlet positioned between the plurality of top inlets and the bottom outlet, b) a plurality of injection tubes inserted through the plurality of top inlets, wherein each of the plurality of injection tubes is of sufficient length to extend past the side inlet while terminating at about the lower edge of the side inlet and above the bottom outlet, and c) a mixing zone between lower ends of the plurality of tubes and the bottom outlet of the mixing zone unit, and wherein the first reactant solution flows into the mixing zone unit through the side inlet at a flow rate sufficient to at least partially fill the outer housing between the side inlet and the bottom outlet;
• flowing the second reactant solution into the mixing zone unit through the plurality of injection tubes inserted into the plurality of top inlets of the mixing zone unit at a flow rate suitable to combine a plurality of fluid streams of the second reactant solution with the first reactant solution in the mixing zone to produce a plurality of nucleated particles;
• flowing the plurality of nucleated particles into and through the residence time unit, wherein the residence time unit comprises a) an outer housing having a length “l,” wherein the outer housing has an inlet, an outlet, and a shape and diameter cooperatively dimensioned such that it can be removably coupled to the mixing zone unit, and b) a plurality of inner tubes positioned within the outer housing, the plurality of inner tubes extending at least length “l,” and wherein the residence time unit is operably coupled to the mixing zone unit such that the plurality of nucleated particles flows through the plurality of inner tubes;
• concurrently flowing a heat-transfer fluid at a desired temperature through the residence time unit inlet and into the residence time unit outer housing;
• and
• collecting particles as they flow out of the residence time unit.