Nanomaterials meet microfluidics: Improved analytical methods and high-throughput synthetic approaches

In recent years, both nanomaterials (NMs) and microfluidics have unprecedented development. NMs with specific morphologies and versatile surface functionalization offer new opportunities for developing ultrasensitive and selective microfluidic methods. With some inherent merits, microfluidic chip has introduced a new avenue for NM synthesis. The combination of NMs with microfluidics provides improved methods alone with superior synthetic efficacies. Therefore, it is necessary to summarize research advances in NM-based microfluidic methods and microfluidic-based NM synthesis. In this review, NM-based microfluidic methods are categorized into optical, electrical, magnetic and acoustic methods according to the integrated techniques while microfluidic-based NM synthesis is summarized to be spherical (0D), one dimension (1 D), two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D) NMs according to the sizes of NMs synthesized on microfluidic chips. The ultimate goals are to stimulate the design of exquisite microfluidic platforms and efficient synthetic strategies of NMs for biochemical analysis. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Both nanomaterials and microfluidics have experienced unprecedented development in recent years, offering new opportunities and methods. Combining nanomaterials with microfluidics can improve methods and enhance synthesis efficiency. The focus is on categorizing different microfluidic methods and NM synthesis to enhance efficiency in biochemical analysis.