Computer Vision Methods for Enhanced Understanding of Mixing Phenomena and Object Tracking in Process-scale Chemical Reactions

AIMS IN BRIEF:
(i) Investigate the application of imaging-based mixing analysis algorithms as a non-contact reaction monitoring approach to Grignard reagent synthesis on scale.
(ii) Investigate the use of recently-developed mixing and object tracking imaging methods towards novel non-contact reaction monitoring of nucleophilic aromatic substitutions on across small and large scales.

This studentship is supported by a £10k cash contribution from CPACT. The support follows an earlier £5k combined contribution across feasibility and internship studies to establish proof-of-concept applications of our team's Kineticolor technology on chemical problems of interest to CPACT member companies CatSci and Takeda. Additional contributions are being made from the supervisor's available funds to make up the 3-year EPSRC studentship package.

ABSTRACT:
Outside chemical modification, mixing is one of the most important process control parameters to consider in reaction scale-up. While several analytical tools are well-established in mixing analysis, non-contact imaging approaches of high temporal resolution remain in their relative infancy. Building on recent CPACT feasibility and internship studies, we will explore the applications of our computer vision kinetics and mixing analyses in the process-scale study of two reaction classes identified by collaborators at Takeda and CatSci.