Emerging trends in flow chemistry enabled by 3D printing: Robust reactors, biocatalysis and electrochemistry

Abstract

This contribution reviews the state of the art in the employment of additive manufacturing for the development of continuous-flow reactors, highlighting their potential for developing green and sustainable chemical processes. Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, has an untapped potential for the design and development of sustainable chemical processes. The integration of multiple enabling technologies is facilitated by the freedom of design inherent to these techniques. In this way, safer and efficient processes with integrated capabilities can be realised in a simple and cost-effective fashion. This relatively young field is evolving towards more robust and functional devices. Two trends are discussed here. First, the employment of robust materials, including metal and ceramics for the fabrication of the reactors. Second, the integration of flow reactors with biocatalysis and electrochemistry, both of them are key technologies for the sustainable synthesis of chemicals and fuels.