Microflow (Bio)Catalysis—2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

The development of sustainable (bio)catalytic processes includes research regarding (bio)catalyst selection and optimization, process condition selection and optimization, and reactor system selection and optimization. To achieve desirable productivity, all three steps are equally important. Selected (bio)catalysts have to efficiently accept a substrate, preferably under mild conditions (for example, ambient temperature, pressure, and pH), and insure maximum product yield. Moreover, selected reactor systems have to ensure simple process control.

Over the years, researchers have shown numerous advantages of using microscale reactor systems for (bio)catalytic processes. The miniaturization of reaction space ensures time, space, and, moreover, cost reduction and ensures high volume productivities while operating in continuous mode. According to the available literature, over 70% of fine chemical production processes could be improved by continuous operation mode; for more than 50% of these processes, microfluidic systems would be the most suitable reactor system. The micro dimension of channels (dimeters under a millimeter in size) ensure numerous advantages over traditionally used macro reactors, e.g., (i) the use of small chemical and (bio)catalyst quantities; (ii) a large surface-to-volume ratio (beneficial for extraction processes, as well as for (bio)catalytic processes); (iii) efficient heat and mass transfer; (iv) a predominantly laminar flow rate (Re<100); (v) the possibility of performing single or multiphase reactions, etc. All listed advantages provide a continuous substrate(s) and (bio)catalyst feed, continuing to remove products in order to prevent possible inhibitions. Moreover, to achieve sustainable (bio)catalytic processes in a microfluidic device, (bio)catalyst immobilization was also employed for their repeated usage.

Furthermore, another important aspect of research in the field of microfluidic (bio)catalytic processes focuses on the application of simple or complex mathematical models. An efficient and reliable mathematical model includes the hydrodynamics and kinetics of the process, thus ensuring the precise prediction of process productivity and allowing for a reduction in the necessary experiment.

Based on this, this Special Issue welcomes papers in the following areas:

• Microfluidic devices for (bio)catalytic processes;
• Flow description and control in microfluidic devices;
• Biotransformations with enzymes or whole cells;
• (Bio)catalyst immobilization in microfludic systems;
• Application of green solvents for (bio)catalysis in microfluidic systems;
• Process optimization;
• Multi-enzyme cascades and process integration;
• Kinetic studies and mathematical modeling;
• Online monitoring of (bio)catalysis in microfluidic systems.

Dr. Ana Jurinjak Tušek
Prof. Dr. Bruno Zelić
Dr. Davor Valinger
Dr. Anita Šalić
Guest Editors

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• (bio)catalysis in microfluidics
• hydrodynamics
• (bio)catalyst immobilization process optimization
• mathematical modeling
• online monitoring of processes

• Microflow (Bio)Catalysis in Catalysts (4 articles)