Advances in Microreactor Devices for Biomedicine, Nanoparticle Synthesis, Catalysis and Energy Processes

Dear Colleagues,

Microreactors are defined as miniaturized reaction systems fabricated using microtechnology and precision engineering methods. However, the term “microreactor” is the name that is generally used to describe a wide variety of devices that have small dimensions that are further classified according to their complexity, integration level, physical and chemical principles and the fields of application. Reducing the dimensions of the reaction system under the millimeter scale favors rapid reaction rates and minimizes the heat and mass transport limitations that usually limits conventional reactor systems.

Over the past decade, microreactor technology has evolved from simple devices for basic chemical transformations to more complex systems for a great number of applications in the fields of catalysis, energy processes, nanomaterial production, biomedicine and sensors. The use of microreactor devices enables us to perform reactions with an unprecedented control over mixing, mass- and heat-transfer, safety, reaction residence time and other process parameters, which results in enhanced reproducibility. In addition, they allow us to utilize extreme reaction conditions, which are far from the common laboratory practice (e.g., high temperature, pressure, and reactant concentration), in a safe and reliable fashion. In microreactors, the reaction rates can be accelerated by orders of magnitude and the reaction times shrink from hours to minutes and seconds. Microreactor devices are key contributors to chemical discovery and development, for instance by the well-known continuous flow chemistry. Continuous-flow chemistry is a relatively new field that has rapidly gained ground in the last couple of years. The use of microreactor devices has received a lot of attention, as these devices provide novel and unprecedented opportunities for synthetic chemists with regard to reaction safety, mixing efficiency, and reproducibility.

The low energy densities of even state of the art batteries are a major hindrance to the lengthy use of portable consumer electronics and portable equipment. Much ongoing research is therefore focused on developing microsystem generators that can take advantage of the high energy density of the fuels, while being both portable and producing sufficiently high power levels. The small size of microreactors allows for their easier transportation and rapid, on-site installation in contrast to large, centralized stations.

The functionality of nanomaterials depends on their dimensions, shape and chemical composition. This implies that attaining the desired dimensions and composition through controlled synthesis is the key to retaining the properties that make these materials functional. The continuous-flow synthesis of functional nanomaterials not only paves the way to achieving consistency in properties, but is also scalable and yet decentralized, providing it with flexible on-site, on-demand production.

Microreactor technology has played a fundamental role in biomedicine, where all types of drugs, both hydrophobic and hydrophilic, and small molecules, proteins and nucleic acids, can be encapsulated into the nanoengineered carriers. Microreactor devices can also be used for local drug delivery. Wearable or implantable microreactor devices can be loaded with drugs and can precisely control the release of payloads in a sustained or stimuli-responsive manner. Microreactors are a valuable tool in tissue engineering, promoting the migration, proliferation and differentiation of cells in controlled situations. Finally, the so-called micro-total-analysis-systems (μ-TAS) or lab-on-chip (LOC), are a vital influence for clinical and environmental diagnostics.

This Special Issue on “Advances in Microreactor Devices for Biomedicine, Nanoparticle Synthesis, Catalysis and Energy Processes” is a timely approach to survey recent progress in the area of microreactor devices and their applications. The articles presented in this Special Issue will cover various topics, ranging from the application of microreactor devices in biomedicine (drug delivery, nanovector production, tissue engineering, and diagnostics), nanomaterial production (inorganic, organic, and hybrid nanomaterials), catalysis (new reaction approaches and flow chemistry) and energy processes (process intensification and new microreactor designs). In this context, the research published in this issue will offer a unique glimpse of what has been achieved and what remains to be explored in micoreactor technology.

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Victor Sebastian
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.