Journal Article

The past, present and potential for microfluidic reactor technology in chemical synthesis

Elvira, Katherine S., Wootton, Robert C. R., deMello, Andrew J., i Solvas, Xavier Casadevall

2013

Overview

The successes and failures of past research in the development of microfluidic reactors for chemical synthesis are highlighted. Current roadblocks are assessed and a series of challenges for the future of this area are identified. The past two decades have seen far-reaching progress in the development of microfluidic systems for use in the chemical and biological sciences. Here we assess the utility of microfluidic reactor technology as a tool in chemical synthesis in both academic research and industrial applications. We highlight the successes and failures of past research in the field and provide a catalogue of chemistries performed in a microfluidic reactor. We then assess the current roadblocks hindering the widespread use of microfluidic reactors from the perspectives of both synthetic chemistry and industrial application. Finally, we set out seven challenges that we hope will inspire future research in this field.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 639/638/204/898 / 639/638/549/976 / Analytical Chemistry / Animals / Biochemistry / Biomedical Research / Chemical Industry / Chemical reactions / Chemical synthesis / Chemistry / Chemistry/Food Science / Green Chemistry Technology / Inorganic Chemistry / Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - instrumentation / Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - methods / Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - trends / Microfluidics - instrumentation / Microfluidics - methods / Microfluidics - trends / Organic Chemicals - chemical synthesis / Organic Chemistry / Physical Chemistry / Reactors / review-article / Reynolds number / Viscosity