Xunli Zhang

Micromixing Within Microfluidic Devices

Micromixing is a crucial process within microfluidic systems such as micro total analysis systems (μTAS). A state-of-art review on microstructured mixing devices and their mixing phenomena is given. The review first presents an overview of the characteristics of fluidic behavior at the microscale and their implications in microfluidic mixing processes. According to the two basic principles exploited to induce mixing at the microscale, micromixers are generally classified as being passive or active. Passive mixers solely rely on pumping energy, whereas active mixers rely on an external energy source to achieve mixing. Typical types of passive micromixers are discussed, including T- or Y-shaped, parallel lamination, sequential, focusing enhanced mixers, and droplet micromixers. Examples of active mixers using external forces such as pressure field, electrokinetic, dielectrophoretic, electrowetting, magneto-hydrodynamic, and ultrasound to assist mixing are presented. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of mixing in a microfluidic environment are discussed.

Effects of microwave dielectric heating on heterogeneous catalysis

The effect of microwave dielectric heating on both endothermic and exothermic reactions was investigated. Apparent equilibrium shifts for both reactions were observed which were attributed to the formation of spatial hot spots in the catalyst bed. The possible location of remarkable temperature gradients was examined experimentally and theoretically.

Microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip preparation routes for organic nanoparticles and vesicular systems for nanomedicine applications.

In recent years, advancements in the fields of microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip technologies have provided unique opportunities for the implementation of nanomaterial production processes owing to the miniaturisation of the fluidic environment. It has been demonstrated that microfluidic reactors offer a range of advantages compared to conventional batch reactors, including improved controllability and uniformity of nanomaterial characteristics. In addition, the fast mixing achieved within microchannels, and the predictability of the laminar flow conditions, can be leveraged to investigate the nanomaterial formation dynamics. In this article recent developments in the field of microfluidic production of nanomaterials for drug delivery applications are reviewed. The features that make microfluidic reactors a suitable technological platform are discussed in terms of controllability of nanomaterials production. An overview of the various strategies developed for the production of organic nanoparticles and colloidal assemblies is presented, focusing on those nanomaterials that could have an impact on nanomedicine field such as drug nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, liposomes, polymersomes, polyplexes and hybrid nanoparticles. The effect of microfluidic environment on nanomaterials formation dynamics, as well as the use of microdevices as tools for nanomaterial investigation is also discussed.

Microwave assisted catalytic reduction of sulfur dioxide with methane over MoS2 catalysts

The catalytic reduction of sulfur dioxide with methane to form carbon dioxide and sulfur has been studied over MoS2/Al2O3 catalysts. The reaction has been found to occur with microwave (2.45 GHz) heating at recorded temperatures as much as 200 ◦ C lower than those required when conventional heating was used. An activation energy of 117 kJ mol −1 has been calculated for the conventionally heated reaction, but an Arrhenius analysis of the data obtained with microwave heating was not possible, probably because of temperature variations in the catalyst bed. The existence of hot spots in the catalysts heated by microwave radiation has been verified by the detection of -alumina at a recorded temperature some 200 ◦ C lower than the temperature at which the -t o-alumina phase transition is normally observed. Among four catalysts prepared in different ways, a mechanically mixed catalyst showed the highest conversion of SO2 and CH4 for microwave heating at a given temperature. Supported catalysts, sulfided either by conventional heating or under microwave conditions, showed little difference in the extent of SO2 and CH4 conversions. The highest conversions to carbon dioxide and sulfur, combined with low production of undesirable side products, was obtained when the molar ratio of SO2 to CH4 was equal to two, the stoichiometric ratio.

Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane with Pt Catalysts Using Microwave Dielectric Heating

Microwave heating was applied to the catalytic reforming reaction of methane with carbon dioxide over platinum catalysts. It was found that CO2 and CH4 conversions and the product selectivity (H2/CO) were generally higher under microwave conditions than that obtained with conventional heating at the same measured temperature. The effect of microwave heating was attributed to the formation of hot spots with higher temperature than that measured in the bulk catalyst bed.

Oscillatory behaviour during the oxidation of methane over palladium metal catalysts

Oscillatory reactions over palladium foil and wire catalysts during the oxidation of methane have been investigated over a wide range of reaction temperatures and argon/methane/oxygen feed gas compositions. Characterisation of the catalyst has also been carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, which revealed the presence of a porous surface. This suggested that the metal surface has undergone a change since the reaction commenced, and using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) techniques the palladium phase was shown to be the dominant phase present. Hysteresis phenomena were observed in the activity of the reaction as the temperature was cycled up and down, showing that the metal surface was continually changing throughout the reaction. The activation energies of the reaction during the high reactivity mode, PdO, and low reactivity mode, Pd, were also calculated. Oscillation rates were observed to depend on the dominant surface. Oscillations were frequent when the high reactivity mode was dominant while the activation energy of this mode was found to be low. When the low reactivity mode was dominant, the oscillations were slower and the activation energy was three times larger. The results obtained imply that the behaviour of the palladium surface, switching back and forth from the reduced state to the oxidised state, is responsible for the oscillatory behaviour seen in this system.

Further Studies on Oscillations over Nickel Wires During the Partial Oxidation of Methane

Oscillatory reactions over nickel wires during the partial oxidation of methane were investigated in a tubular continuous flow reactor made of quartz at atmospheric pressure. A modified thermocouple was designed to measure the temperature while the interposed nickel coil worked as a catalyst. Significant effects on the oscillations were observed by varying the system temperature and the feed gas composition, and by cutting off one of the reactant gases temporarily.

Novel inorganic polymer derived microreactors for organic microchemistry applications

Microreactors fabricated with optically transparent inorganic polymers from two types of precursors using a UV-microimprinting process demonstrated reliable solvent resistance and capability for performing three model organic synthetic reactions, which were compared with batch systems and glass based microreactors.

Rate oscillations during partial oxidation of methane over chromel–alumel thermocouples

A chromel–alumel thermocouple has been found to catalyse the methane/oxygen reaction, the main products being CO, H2 with some CO2 and H2O. Regular oscillations in both reactants, products and temperature have been observed at temperatures around 700 ○C. Similar behaviour has been obtained using nickel wires.

A transmission electron microscopy and reflection high‐energy electron diffraction study of the initial stages of the heteroepitaxial growth of InSb on GaAs (001) by molecular beam epitaxy

In situ reflection high‐energy electron diffraction and cross‐sectional and plan‐view transmission electron microscopy have been used to investigate the initial stages of InSb growth on GaAs(001), by molecular‐beam epitaxy. Growth of the InSb commences with the formation of rectangular‐based islands, having flat tops and sloping sides, with facets on certain planes of types {111} and {113}. The islands show near normal lattice spacings, with no significant straining. As deposition proceeds, islands coalesce and, after the equivalent of 40 monolayers of deposition, form a connected network. Complete coverage of the GaAs substrate is achieved after ≂300 monolayers of deposition. This places a lower limit on the thickness of InSb layers, which may be considered in the design of optoelectronic devices.