Role of magnetic nanoparticles in mixing, transport phenomena and reaction engineering - challenges and opportunities

Practicality of tailoring the physical chemistry of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has opened up fascinating paths for magnetism into the realm of chemical engineering. Such outgrowth is accredited to the MNPs unique behavior when these are excited under external magnetic fields. This perspective commentary serves as an usher for readers interested in this emerging research field in which the potential of magnetic nanoparticles to modify or improve transport phenomena, mixing and chemical reaction is exposed. With a focus on MNPs and their stabilized colloidal dispersions, the mechanisms whereby intensification is achieved via momentum, mass and heat stimulations are discussed in priority.