Abstract

Continuous-Flow Synthesis of Optically Responsive Nanomaterials

Irina Koryakina, PhD student, ITMO University

Optically responsive nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a highly demanded tool that addresses important issues in biological and optical sensing, imaging, photovoltaics, photothermal therapy, etc. In spite of the developments in emerging nanoparticles (NPs) synthesis approaches, faster and reliable methods for the controllable synthesis of the desired compounds are still highly demanded. Microfluidic synthesis approach allows overcoming the known critical stages in the conventional synthesis of NPs due to the high rate of heat/mass transfer and precise regulation of synthesis conditions, which results in reproducible synthesis outcomes with the desired physico-chemical properties. In the recent work, a novel approach for the synthesis of nanolasers based on lead halide perovskite particles in a microfluidic chip (MFC) was developed. The synthesis procedure allowed for obtaining various morphologies of perovskite particles by tuning the precursors flow ratios. In another work, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with enhanced surface defects were synthesized by deploying continuous flow regime in an MFC. It was shown that obtained MOF possessed enhanced loading capacities due to the developed surface, which opens up new prospects for the fabrication of improved drug delivery platforms. Therefore, optically responsive NPs (perovskites and MOF) were synthesized in a continuous flow regime in MFC. It was shown that the deployed method enables fine tailoring of physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials through the structural deviations, which can be achieved by manipulation of flow reagents in microchannels.