Microfluidic electrochemical reactors
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsRalph G. Nuzzo, Svetlana M. Mitrovski
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Abstract
A microfluidic electrochemical reactor includes an electrode and one or more microfluidic channels on the electrode, where the microfluidic channels are covered with a membrane containing a gas permeable polymer. The distance between the electrode and the membrane is less than 500 micrometers. The microfluidic electrochemical reactor can provide for increased reaction rates in electrochemical reactions using a gaseous reactant, as compared to conventional electrochemical cells. Microfluidic electrochemical reactors can be incorporated into devices for applications such as fuel cells, electrochemical analysis, microfluidic actuation, pH gradient formation.
Claims19
An electrochemical reactor, comprising:
- an electrode;
- a layer comprising at least one hollow microfluidic channel on the electrode;
- a membrane comprising a gas permeable polymer on the microfluidic channel;
- and
- an electrolyte in the microfluidic channel;
- wherein the distance between the electrode and the membrane is less than or equal to 500 microns;
- wherein a gaseous reactant is dissolved in the electrolyte and the membrane, and the electrode comprises a surface area that is exposed to the microfluidic channel;
- and
- wherein the ratio of the surface area in square millimeters to the amount of dissolved gaseous reactant in moles is from 3.0×109 to 3.0×1012.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.