Commercial process development for synthesis of spherical cobalt nanopowder by wet chemical reduction reaction

What is it about?

A commercial process for synthesis of spherical cobalt nanopowder has been developed. Based on laboratory scale experimental data, pilot plant production and reproducibility of the developed process has been investigated and optimized. Cobalt nanopowder were synthesized from reduction of cobalt sulfate salt, using hypo-phosphorous acid as a reductant in solution of sodium hydroxide. The effect of various process parameters on morphology and structure of the cobalt nanopowder synthesis, both at laboratory scale and pilot scale processes were optimized and compared. The developed proposed flow sheet is a techno economical feasible process for commercial production of spherical cobalt nanopowder in the range of 100-300 nm size. An indigenous designed pilot plant, capable of handling 30 L solution per batch has been developed.

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Why is it important?

Most of the cobalt nanopowder syntheses reported in the open literature are about a gram to sub-gram material synthesis process, but our process offers versatile and flexible approach for mass production capability up to kilogram scale. A pilot plant, capable of handling 30 L solution per batch, with potential for automation has been designed. In a conservative calculation, 1.0 kg/hr of cobalt nanopowder in the range of 100-300 nm size can be synthesized in our current pilot-scale facilities. The process developed is a techno economical feasible, environment friendly and occupational safe pilot scale process. The process chemistry presented in the paper is an important observation and discovery, without understanding it hardly one can handle forward reaction, hence synthesis of cobalt nanopowder. Cobalt nanopowder synthesized through wet chemical reduction process controlling various reagent concentrations in laboratory scale contribute to fundamental understanding of chemistry involved in the synthesis process. Whereas cobalt nanopowder synthesized in pilot scale addresses process engineering, scale up feasibility, technological feasibility, environment concern and occupational safety. Characteristics of cobalt nanopowder synthesized in pilot scale are very similar to laboratory scale (up to 95 % confidence interval). The specific saturation magnetization of cobalt nanopowder synthesized in pilot scale at its optimum condition is equivalent to 58 % of bulk cobalt.

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