Micromachined Reactors for Catalytic Partial Oxidation Reactions

Silicon-based microfabrication of a novel chemical reactor (microreactor) having submillimeter flow channels with integrated heaters, and flow and temperature sensors is described. The potential application of this reactor to partial-oxidation reactions is explored by using Pt-catalyzed NH₃ oxidation as a model reaction. Investigation of reactor behavior as a function of operating conditions shows that conversion and selectivity behavior of conventional laboratory reactors can be reproduced and demonstrates the feasibility of conducting chemical reactions in microfabricated systems. Ignition-extinction behavior is explored, along with high-temperature microreactor materials degradation. Potential applications and scale-up of microreactors are also discussed.