A Simple technique for microfluidic heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation reactor fabrication

A simple process is described for the facile production of microfluidic reactors with 'built-in' metallic catalysts. This approach provides considerable reductions in cost and complexity when compared to existing catalytic chip designs. The process involves the sputtering of catalytic metals into the channels of microfluidic reactors prior to device bonding. The utility of such microreactors as environments for heterogenous catalytic hydrogenations was tested and demonstrated by applying them to the on-chip reduction of butyraldehyde to butanol and benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. The use of such 'built-in' systems as microreactors for specific processes was shown to have considerable potential for both fundamental research and industrial application.