Design of particles by spray pyrolysis and recent progress in its application

Spray pyrolysis is a promising aerosol process to produce "designer particles" of precisely controlled morphology with decorations on surfaces or inside particles. Need of precise control of properties has sparked researches on aerosol process that may replace conventional processes such as solid state reaction process or liquid precipitation method. However, productivity is the biggest obstacle in the development of a commercial scale process because the aerosol process is essentially operated at low particle concentration compared to liquid phase processes. In this review, by reviewing publications for the last 10 years we discuss how researchers on spray pyrolysis circumvent this inherent limitation of the aerosol process. First, the process of particle design by spray pyrolysis is introduced. Some key criteria are explained for selecting each component of spray pyrolysis: precursor, additive, carrier gas, heat source, and reactor type. Second, key contributions of major groups in Korea, Japan, Europe, and America are described. Third, some of named processes to overcome productivity of spray aerosol process are introduced. Fourth, applications of spray pyrolysis to materials related to alternative energy, environmental cleaning, information processing and display, and biomaterials are considered. Finally, future prospects of spray pyrolysis are discussed along with current standing issues for further progress of spray pyrolysis.