Process Technology of the Nonaqueous Sol-Gel Synthesis of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Georg Garnweitner
• Subject Area: Mechanical Process Engineering
• Term: from 2009 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 136355929

Metal oxide nanoparticles today are utilized for many established and novel applications. They can be fabricated in high control and reproducibility via solvent-based approaches such as the nonaqueous sol-gel synthesis, which has been presented for a number of systems in the last years. The industrial use of these methods however is retarded by a lack of detailed process-related knowledge for these methods. The interrelation between process parameters and the particle properties is not generally known, and also the mechanisms and kinetics of particle formation are only understood for a few single systems. This research project involves systematic process studies for the nonaqueous synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles, utilizing two model systems to obtain detailed knowledge on the influence of the process parameters on particle formation. Thereby, not only the molecular mechanisms are investigated, but also the particle formation, ripening and agglomeration. In the last phase of the project, the experimental data are utilized for the generation of a model based on population balances that can predict the processes of primary and secondary particle formation and reflect the influence of the process parameters.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants