Precipitation of hydroxyapatite at 37 °C in a meso oscillatory flow reactor operated in batch at constant power density. Issue 12 (29th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Castro, Filipa; Ferreira, António; Rocha, Fernando; Vicente, António; Teixeira, José António
• Is Part Of: AIChE journal. Volume 59:Issue 12(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 4483
• Page End: 4493
• Publication Date: 2013-07-29
• Subjects: Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; Génie chimique -- Périodiques; 660.28
• DOI: 10.1002/aic.14193
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-1541

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>A meso oscillatory flow reactor (meso‐OFR) was successfully applied for the precipitation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles. Mixing efficiency of the mesoreactor operated batchwise in a vertical tube was evaluated at constant power density, by monitoring variation of hue values upon mixing both spatially and temporally. The best operating conditions for fast mixing and a more homogeneous reaction medium were verified for f = 0.83 Hz and x₀ = 4.5 mm. HAp precipitation was then carried out under these conditions at 37 °C for different mixing Ca/P molar ratios. HAp nanoparticles with a mean size (d₅₀) of about 67 nm and a narrow size distribution were obtained. Furthermore, the obtained results show the advantages of the meso‐OFR over a stirred tank batch reactor due to the production, about four times faster, of smaller and more uniform HAp nanoparticles. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers <italic>AIChE J</italic>, 59: 4483–4493, 2013</p> </abstract>