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.