Fabrication of Strontium Nitrate Nanoparticles through a Spraying‐in Non‐Solvent Process Optimized by Taguchi Approach

Abstract

The operation variables of the solution spraying‐in non‐solvent as a micronization process were effectively optimized through Taguchi robust design to obtain Sr(NO3)2 nanoparticles. The process conditions, which were evaluated at two levels, included the concentration of Sr(NO3)2, type of the non‐solvent, the approach of solution adding to the non‐solvent, temperature, type and ratio of the modifier. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to quantitatively evaluate the role of these operating conditions on the size of resulting Sr(NO3)2 particles. It was found that spraying‐in non‐solvent technique can be adjusted to efficiently control the size of Sr(NO3)2 particles by optimizing the operating conditions. The results showed that at the concentration of 85% (w/v) Sr(NO3)2 in aqueous solution, using methanol as the non‐solvent, tuning 5 ∘C as the non‐solvent temperature, adding the solution by spraying, utilizing methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) as the modifier and 1:4 as the modifier/non‐solvent ratio lead to optimal results in terms of the properties of the Sr(NO3)2 nanoparticles. The experimental data confirmed that the formation of Sr(NO3)2 nanoparticles with an average size of about 38 nm under optimal process conditions.