Synthesis of submicron barium carbonate using a high-gravity technique

The purpose of this study was to build a platform for producing fine particles by applying a high-gravity (higee) technique to achieve reactive precipitation. Barium carbonate was chosen as a model compound and was produced in a spinning disk reactor (SDR), which is one type of higee equipment, via a carbonation route and a once-through mode. For size measurement, a suitable dispersion method was developed to obtain reproducible particle size data, using a laser-light analyzer. Several factors that affected the particle size of barium carbonate, including the CO2 flow rate, the feed rate of Ba(OH)(2) slurry, the rotation speed, and the solid-content of feed slurry, were investigated. A high rotating speed and low feeding rate of slurry yielded small particles. The optimum solid-content of feeding slurry for obtaining small particles was also determined. However, the effect of the CO2 flow rate on the particle size of the product was not significant. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.