nanomaterials Review Process Intensification Approach Using Microreactors for Synthesizing Nanomaterials—A Critical Review Vikas Hakke 1, Shirish Sonawane 1,* , Sambandam Anandan 2,* , Shriram Sonawane 3 and Muthupandian Ashokkumar 4,* 1 Chemical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, India;
[email protected] 2 Department of Chemistry, National Institute Technology, Trichy 620015, India 3 Nano Research Project Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur 440010, India;
[email protected] 4 School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia * Correspondence:
[email protected] (S.S.);
[email protected] (S.A.);
[email protected] (M.A.) Abstract: Nanomaterials have found many applications due to their unique properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio, density, strength, and many more. This review focuses on the recent developments on the synthesis of nanomaterials using process intensification. The review covers the designing of microreactors, design principles, and fundamental mechanisms involved in process intensification using microreactors for synthesizing nanomaterials. The microfluidics technology operates in continuous mode as well as the segmented flow of gas–liquid combinations. Various examples from the literature are discussed in detail highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of microfluidics technology for nanomaterial synthesis. Keywords: microreactors; nanoparticles; continuous flow; segmented flow; process intensification Citation: Hakke, V.; Sonawane, S.; Anandan, S.; Sonawane, S.; Ashokkumar, M. Process 1. Introduction Intensification Approach Using 1.1. Microfluidics Technology for Process Intensification Microreactors for Synthesizing Conventional reactors have many bottleneck problems such as energy losses (mass Nanomaterials—A Critical Review. as well as heat), high wastages, poor reaction control, and high operational risk.