Integrated Microreactor System for Gas-Phase Catalytic Reactions. 2. Microreactor Packaging and Testing

Abstract

An integrated packaging system is developed for the multilayer laminate gas-phase microreactor die whose design and fabrication was described in Part 1 of this series. A commercial plastic socket used for integrated circuit testing was adapted so the reactor chip could be easily installed while maintaining consistent alignment with all electrical contacts. A heated fluidics interface was developed that connects the nonmetallic feed and product gas ports on the microreactor chip to metal tubing. Thermal experiments and 3-D finite-element heat transfer simulations of the combined socket-fluidics assembly showed that the plastic reactor socket could be safely operated up to 250°C. Other tests showed that the microreactor heaters were capable of achieving membrane temperatures in excess of 600°C.Step-response tests demonstrated that temperature changes of ca. 100°C could be achieved in less than 10 ms. Testing of the electrical leads on the reactor chip verified that the device resistance on a single reactor chip was uniform within a few percentage points. The packaged system developed here is used in Part 3 of this series to create a modular reactor board for incorporation into an integrated process system.

Novel Process Windows for Enabling, Accelerating, and Uplifting Flow Chemistry

“…The design of an integrated microreactor system was motivated by fabrication, assembly, and system integration concepts known in microelectronics and the computer industry 162–164…”

“… A reactor board organized and assembled as a computer unit. (Reprinted with permission from 164. Copyright 2012 American Chemical Society.)…”

“…A commercial plastic socket, which is normally used for integrated circuit testing, was adapted for installation of the reactor chip to allow alignment with the electrical contacts (Figure 38). 164 A heated fluidics interface connects the nonmetallic feed and product gas ports on the microreactor chip to metal tubing. This plastic reactor socket can be operated up to 250 °C.…”

Integrated opto-microfluidics platforms in lithium niobate crystals for sensing applications

“…The most commonly used materials for microreactors based device (such as ceramics, polymers, stainless steel, glasses, silica and silicon) in fact, seem to prevent the fully integration the microfluidic and optical functionalities in the VIS-NIR region although presenting bio-and micro-machining compatibility. As a matter of fact several examples of sensors for reaction temperature, residence time and stoichiometry have been reported [5] as well as systems for in-situ reaction monitoring with fluorescent measurements, with line ultraviolet spectroscopy, with inline infrared and Raman spectroscopy [2; 6]. In this scenario, the integration of a large number of different stages on a single substrate chip is a key point for promoting new insights in many applications that need portable devices to speed the analysis and allow investigation of new phenomena [7,8].…”

Low-power silicon-based thermal sensors and actuators for chemical applications

“…van Herwaarden [34]. Finally, microcalorimetric sensors have been successfully applied in the process control of integrated microreactors for gas-phase catalytic reactions [91], [92], [93]. An important issue in this application is the possibility of maintaining similar reaction conditions in various channels during scale-up and automation.…”