Abstract
The production of oxide nanoparticles by selected wet-chemistry or dry processes is compared in terms of energy requirements. Clear differences arise for production using electricity-intensive plasma processes, organic- or chloride-derived flame synthesis and liquid based precipitation processes. In spite of short process chains and elegant reactor design, many dry methods inherently require vastly bigger energy consumption than the multi-step wet processes. Product composition strongly influences the selection of the preferred method of manufacturing in terms of energy requirement: Metal oxide nanoparticles of light elements with high valency, e.g. titania demand high volumes of organic precursors and traditional processes excel in terms of efficiency. Products with heavier elements, more complex composition and preferably lower valency such as doped ceria, zirconia, and most mixed oxide ceramics may be readily manufactured by recently developed dry processes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Althaus H-J., M. Chudacoff, S. Hellweg, R. Hischier, N. Jungbluth, M. Osses & A. Primas, 2003. Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals, Final report ecoinvent 2000 No. 8.
Backman U., Tapper U. and Jokiniemi J.K. (2004). An aerosol method to synthesize supported metal catalyst nanoparticles. Synthetic Met. 142(1–3): 169–176
Besling W.F.A., Goossens A., Meester B. and Schoonman J. (1998). Laser-induced chemical vapor deposition of nanostructured silicon carbonitride thin films. J. Appl. Phys. 83(1): 544–553
Buchner P., Lutzenkirchen-Hecht D., Strehblow H.H. and Uhlenbusch J. (1999). Production and characterization of nanosized Cu/O/SiC composite particles in a thermal rf plasma reactor. J. Mater. Sci. 34(5): 925–931
Buchner P., Schubert H., Uhlenbusch J. and Weiss M. (2001). Evaporation of zirconia powders in a thermal radio-frequency plasma. J. Therm. Spray Techn. 10(4): 666–672
Bummer P.M. (2004). Physical chemical considerations of lipid-based oral drug delivery – Solid lipid nanoparticles. Crit. Rev. Ther. Drug 21(1): 1–19
Burgess L., 1922. Process of production of zirconium compounds, US 1′418′528.
Chen S.Y. and Shen P.Y. (2004). Laser ablation condensation and transformation of baddeleyite-type related TiO2. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Part 1 43(4A): 1519–1524
Defra, 2004. Environmental Reporting Guidelines for Company Reporting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energyCMS/CarbonTrust/pages_ preview/page_64.asp
De La Veaux S.C. & L. Zhang, 2004. Method of producting nanoparitcles using a evaporation and condensation process with a reaction chamber plasma reactor system, WO056416.
Eliezer S., N. Eliaz, E. Grossman, D. Fisher, I. Gouzman, Z. Henis, S. Pecker, Y. Horovitz, M. Fraenkel, S. Maman & Y. Lereah, 2004. Synthesis of nanoparticles with femtosecond laser pulses. Phys. Rev. B, 69(14).
Fauchais P., Vardelle A. and Dussoubs B. (2001). Quo vadis thermal spraying?. J. Therm. Spray Techn. 10(1): 44–66
Federal Environmental Agency, 2001. Large Volume Solid Inorganic Chemcials, Titanium Dioxide, Final Report, Institute for environmental technique and management.
Gmelin, 1958. Gmelins Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie.
Godal O. and Fuglestvedt J. (2002). Testing 100-year global warming potentials: Impacts on compliance costs and abatement profile. Climatic Change 52(1–2): 93–127
Gutsch A., Kraemer M., Michael G., Muehlenweg H., Pridoehl M. and Zimmermann G. (2002). Gas-Phase Production of Nanoparticles. KONA 20: 24–37
ISO 14040, 1997. Life cycle impact assessment – ISO 14040, International standardization organization, Geneva.
Itn Nanovation Gmbh Press Report, 2004, http://www.itn-nanovation.com/com/a-halberstadt.html
Jensen J.R., Johannessen T., Wedel S. and Livbjerg H. (2003). A study of Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 methanol catalysts prepared by flame combustion synthesis. J. Catal. 218(1): 67–77
Kammler H.K., Madler L. and Pratsinis S.E. (2001). Flame synthesis of nanoparticles. Chem. Eng.Technol. 24(6): 583–596
Kammler H.K., & S.E. Pratsinis, 2001. Composite carbon black-fumed silica nanostructured particles, EP 1 122 212.A1, EP 1 122 212.B1.
Kim S.H., Liu B.Y.H. and Zachariah M.R. (2004). Ultrahigh surface area nanoporous silica particles via an aero-sol-gel process. Langmuir 20(7): 2523–2526
Kruis F.E., Fissan H. and Peled A. (1998). Synthesis of nanoparticles in the gas phase for electronic, optical and magnetic applications – A review. J. Aerosol Sci. 29(5–6): 511–535
Laine R.M., Baranwal R., Hinklin T., Treadwell D., Sutorik A., Bickmore C., Waldner K. and Neo S.S. (1999). Making nanosized oxide powders from precursors by flame spray pyrolysis. Novel Synth. Process. Ceramics 159(1): 17–24
Loeffer F. & J. Raasch, 1992. Grundlagen der Mechanischen Verfahrentechnik. Vieweg.
Loher S., M. Maciejewski, S.E. Pratsinis, A. Baiker & W.J. Stark, 2004. Flame synthesis of metal salt nanoparticles, in particular calcium and phosphate comprising nanoparticles, International patent application.
Madler L., Kammler H.K., Mueller R. and Pratsinis S.E. (2002a). Controlled synthesis of nanostructured particles by flame spray pyrolysis. J. Aerosol Sci. 33(2): 369–389
Madler L., Stark W.J. and Pratsinis S.E. (2002b). Flame-made ceria nanoparticles. J. Mater. Res. 17(6): 1356–1362
Makela J.M., Keskinen H., Forsblom T. and Keskinen J. (2004). Generation of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles by liquid flame spray process. J. Mat. Sci. 39(8): 2783–2788
Marchal J., John T., Baranwal R., Hinklin T. and Laine R.M. (2004). Yttrium aluminum garnet nanopowders produced by liquid-feed flame spray pyrolysis (LF-FSP) of metalloorganic precursors. Chem. Mater. 16(5): 822–831
Michel D., Faudot F., Gaffet E. and Mazerolles L. (1993). Stabilized Zirconias Prepared by Mechanical Alloying. Journal of the American Ceramic Society 76(11): 2884–2888
Narayanan R. and Laine R.M. (1997). Synthesis and characterization of precursors for group II metal aluminates. Appl. Organomet. Chem. 11(10–11): 919–927
Pennington D.W., Potting J., Finnveden G., Lindeijer E., Jolliet O., Rydberg T. and Rebitzer G. (2004). Life cycle assessment Part 2: Current impact assessment practice. Environ. Int. 30(5): 721–739
Pratsinis S.E. (1998). Flame aerosol synthesis of ceramic powders. Prog. Energ. Combust 24(3): 197–219
Rebitzer G., Ekvall T., Frischknecht R., Hunkeler D., Norris G., Rydberg T., Schmidt W.P., Suh S., Weidema B.P. and Pennington D.W. (2004). Life cycle assessment Part 1: Framework, goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, and applications. Environ. Int. 30(5): 701–720
Reck E. and Richards M. (1999). Titanium dioxide manufacture and life cycle analysis. Pigment Res. Technol. 28(3): 149–157
Rittner M. (2003). Nanoparticles – What’s now, what’s next?. Chem. Eng. Prog. 99(11): 39s–42s
Roco M.C. and Bainbridge W.S. (2002). Converging technologies for improving human performance: Integrating from the nanoscale. J. Nanopart. Res. 4(4): 281–295
Schubert H., E. Heidenreich, F. Liepe & T. Ness, 1990. Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik. Deutscher Verlag fuer Grundstoffindustrie.
Stark W.J. and Pratsinis S.E. (2002). Aerosol flame reactors for manufacture of nanoparticles. Powder Technol. 126(2): 103–108
Tsantilis S., Kammler H.K. and Pratsinis S.E. (2002). Population balance modeling of flame synthesis of titania nanoparticles. Chem. Eng. Sci. 57(12): 2139–2156
Wenger K. and Pratsinis S.E. (2000). Aerosol Flame Reactors for Synthesis of Nanoparticles. KONA 18: 170–182
Winter M., 1986. Department of Chemistry, University of Shefield, England, www.webelements.com.
Zhu W.H. and Pratsinis S.E. (1996). Flame synthesis of nanosize powders - Effect of flame configuration and oxidant composition. Nanotechnology 622: 64–78
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Osterwalder, N., Capello, C., Hungerbühler, K. et al. Energy Consumption During Nanoparticle Production: How Economic is Dry Synthesis?. J Nanopart Res 8, 1–9 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-005-8384-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-005-8384-7