Prediction of Particle Number Density in Suspension by Measuring the Sizes of Bubbles Generated During Microwave Irradiation

Abstract

Past studies report that nucleation promotion is induced by quick heating of microwave in nanoparticle synthesis. However, how the nucleation promotion quantitatively affects particle number density is still unclear. In this study, the number density is predicted using bubble size profiles measured under microwave irradiation. This idea is based on a finding that the maximum bubble size during the irradiation is closely related to the particle number density due to homogeneous distribution of microwave absorbance energy to the particles. The results indicate that when solute concentration or anti‐solvent concentration is higher, the particle number density also increases due to the nucleation promotion caused by microwave quick heating. This new approach can be expected as an innovative and rapid method for quantitative estimation of particle number density in microwave‐assisted nanoparticle manufacture.