Microfluidic synthesis of calcium tungstate CaWO₄

Nowadays, microfluidic synthesis has many advantages over bulk synthesis. By controlling the flow into the microfluidic chip, we can synthesize nanoparticles with defined and precise characteristics. A continuous microfluidics synthesis of CaWO₄ was conducted to obtain nanoparticles with a Scheelite structure approximately 10 nm in diameter. The CaWO₄ nanoparticles were characterized using elemental composition, chemical structure, particle size distribution, and morphology. Calcium tungstate and its derivatives are well known for their optical properties and have great potential for medical applications. The small diameter of nanoparticles allows the synthesis of composites on their basic for theranostics in cancer treatment. Our work indicates the potential opportunity of a continuous microfluidics technique for the rapid fabrication of Scheelite-type tungstate. (author)