Reactive Crystallization of Lithium Carbonate Nanoparticles by Microwave Irradiation of Aqueous Solution Containing CO2 Microbubbles

概要

論文の詳細を見る
In this study, we used minute gas–liquid interfaces around CO2 microbubbles activated by microwave irradiation as new reaction fields and developed a crystallization technique to produce lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) nanoparticles. At the minute gas–liquid interfaces, nucleation occurs predominantly because of the formation of numerous local supersaturation regions at higher temperatures; hence, fine-sized Li2CO3 particles with a narrow size distribution are crystallized, as the Li2CO3 solubility decreases sharply with an increase in temperature. Microwaves (2.45 GHz) were used to irradiate an aqueous solution containing lithium ions and CO2 microbubbles in a waveguide-type microwave apparatus. The heating method, rate of temperature increase (rT) and average bubble size (dbbl) were considered as the operation parameters and varied; the combined effects of CO2 microbubble formation and microwave irradiation on the reactive crystallization of Li2CO3 nanoparticles were examined. Consequently, during microwave irradiation of the solution containing CO2 microbubbles, the crystallization of Li2CO3 nanoparticles was significantly accelerated with an increase in rT and a decrease in dbbl.