Issue 6, 2014

Microfluidic reactors for photocatalytic water purification

Abstract

Photocatalytic water purification utilizes light to degrade the contaminants in water and may enjoy many merits of microfluidics technology such as fine flow control, large surface-area-to-volume ratio and self-refreshing of reaction surface. Although a number of microfluidic reactors have been reported for photocatalysis, there is still a lack of a comprehensive review. This article aims to identify the physical mechanisms that underpin the synergy of microfluidics and photocatalysis, and, based on which, to review the reported microfluidic photocatalytic reactors. These microreactors help overcome different problems in bulk reactors such as photon transfer limitation, mass transfer limitation, oxygen deficiency, and lack of reaction pathway control. They may be scaled up for large-throughput industrial applications of water processing and may also find niche applications in rapid screening and standardized tests of photocatalysts.

Graphical abstract: Microfluidic reactors for photocatalytic water purification

Article information

Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
01 Nov 2013
Accepted
10 Dec 2013
First published
11 Dec 2013

Lab Chip, 2014,14, 1074-1082

Author version available

Microfluidic reactors for photocatalytic water purification

N. Wang, X. Zhang, Y. Wang, W. Yu and H. L. W. Chan, Lab Chip, 2014, 14, 1074 DOI: 10.1039/C3LC51233A

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