Continuous and reactive nanocrystallization: New concepts and processes for dual-use advances

The nanocrystallization of organic pure and composite materials in amounts compatible with industrial demands opens an important challenge as such compounds are of high interest in the fields of pharmacy and defense. We demonstrate the versatility of the Spray Flash Evaporation (SFE) process which is a continuous technique and will establish a wider sphere of hierarchical nanocomposite structures and materials. The paper shows in detail the progress that is reached on the precise nanostructural tuning of composite matter, giving by the same way access to precise medical applications (e.g., advanced drug synthesis). Furthermore, SFE enables the production of energetic nanostructured precursors and therefore permits the synthesis by detonation of ultrafine nanodiamonds with pioneering sizes less than 5 nm. Without any doubt, the use of SFE opens a large fundamental research possibility and applicative issue for future products. To realize opportunities described in the manuscript for the materials conceived by SFE, we also introduce challenges to face in terms of structural characterization with high spatial and chemical resolution that were never reached in a combined manner before.