Sonocrystallisation: Observations, theories and guidelines

Crystallization is an important and widely used separation technique in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Control of the final particle properties is of great importance for these industries. The application of ultrasound in these crystallization processes, also referred to as sonocrystallization, has shown to impact nucleation, crystal growth and fragmentation. As a result this technology has potential to control the final particle size, shape and polymorphic form. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in sonocrystallization. It reviews the observed effects of ultrasound on the different stages of the crystallization process. Recent insights in the mechanism behind these effects are discussed as well. Finally, guidelines for the operating conditions, such as ultrasonic frequency, power, type of cavitation bubbles, time window and moment of application are formulated.