Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol.181, 798-805, 2012
Continuous process to deposit nanoparticles onto microparticles
A novel approach, based on electrostatic forces, for coating microparticles with nanoparticles in a continuous manner is presented. Host particles are charged via tribocharging in a fluidized bed, and removed from the bed by entrainment. Using electrospraying, a spray of charged nanoparticles with opposite polarity is generated. Their charge prevents agglomeration while promoting efficient deposition at the surface of the host particle. By contacting a falling curtain of microparticles with the oppositely charged nanoparticles, nanostructured particles are formed. Various process layouts are explored while a proof of concept is demonstrated for continuous production of nanostructured particles. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Nanoparticles;Coating;Continous processing;Electrospraying;Electrostatics;Fluidized bed;Entrainment