METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PRODUCE NANOPARTICLES IN AN OSTWALD RIPENING FLOW DEVICE WITH TUBES OF VARIABLE PATH LENGTH

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing nanoparticles in an Ostwald ripening flow device comprising tubes of variable path length. The method comprising subjecting the nanoparticles to Ostwald ripening, the Ostwald ripening being performed in a channel system comprising tubes of continuously variable path length, wherein for optimal Ostwald ripening the path length of the tubes being varied by slid- ing a lower tube member and an upper tube member relative to each other to a desired extent, said lower tube member comprising channels extending parallel with one another, said upper tube member comprising a sealing toothing that blocks each channel at one end thereof and arranged displaceably on the lower tube member to form the device with the channel system comprising said tubes. The apparatus comprises a channel system defining a flow path with an inlet and an outlet for Ostwald ripening of nanoparticles, wherein the flow path of the channel system is formed by a combination of a lower tube member (100) comprising channels extending parallel with one another and an upper tube member (200) comprising a sealing toothing (230) that blocks each channel at one end thereof and displaceably connected to the lower tube member. Furthermore, said lower tube member and said upper tube member are slidable relative to each other to a desired extent to enable continuous variability of the length of each tube formed by the channels of said channel system.