Flame spray pyrolysis: An enabling technology for nanoparticles design and fabrication

Combustion of appropriate precursor sprays in a flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) process is a highly promising and versatile technique for the rapid and scalable synthesis of nanostuctural materials with engineered functionalities. The technique was initially derived from the fundamentals of the well-established vapour-fed flame aerosols reactors that was widely practised for the manufacturing of simple commodity powders such as pigmentary titania, fumed silica, alumina, and even optical fibers. In the last 10 years however, FSP knowledge and technology was developed substantially and a wide range of new and complex products have been synthesised, attracting major industries in a diverse field of applications. Key innovations in FSP reactor engineering and precursor chemistry have enabled flexible designs of nanostructured loosely-agglomerated powders and particulate films of pure or mixed oxides and even pure metals and alloys. Unique material morphologies such as core-shell structures and nanorods are possible using this essentially one step and continuous FSP process. Finally, research challenges are discussed and an outlook on the next generation of engineered combustion-made materials is given.