Production of Anthraquinone Violet 3RN nanoparticles via the GAS process: Optimization of the process parameters using Box-Behnken design

Nanoparticles of Anthraquinone Violet 3RN (AV3RN) pigment were produced via the supercritical gas antisolvent (GAS) process. The effect of temperature, pressure, and initial solute concentration on the size and morphology of AV3RN precipitates were investigated by Box-Behnken design (BBD) method. The optimum operational conditions involved the temperature of 318 K, the pressure of 150 bar, and initial AV3RN concentration of 10 mg/ml under which, the size of produced nanoparticles was 110.2 nm (significantly lower than the original sample (3 mu m)). AV3RN nanoparticles were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). Based on DSC and XRD results, the crystallinity of GASprocessed AV3RN particles was lower than the original one, leading to its higher solubility. FESEM and DLS results confirmed the nano metric size with narrow distribution for AV3RN particles precipitated by the GAS process.