Heterogeneous Microfluidic Reactors: A Review and an Insight of Enzymatic Reactions

Abstract Heterogeneous reactions are considered the heart of chemical synthesis with numerous industrial applications due to their high conversion rates and low reaction time. On the other hand, the performance of heterogeneous reactions suffers from several drawbacks such as lower product selectivity and high mass transfer resistance that, in many cases, reduce the reaction rate. The efficiency of various conventional mixing techniques in heterogeneous reactors is believed to play a critical role in controlling the product quality and mass transfer rates besides other essential factors. Microfluidics technology provides a unique opportunity to revisit many established heterogeneous reaction processes to optimize and understand the reaction mechanisms. The unique flow conditions in microflow systems provide an excellent platform for exploring the effect of high‐precision micromixing techniques on reaction rates and productivities. Recent advances in microreactor technology in general and specifically heterogeneous reactions in microflow systems with an insight on the enzymatic reactions in microreactors are reviewed.