Direct integration of gold-carbon nanotube hybrids in continuous-flow microfluidic chips: A versatile approach for nanocatalysis

Abstract

A carbon nanotube-based packed-bed microreactor was developed for the on-chip oxidation of silanes. The process is catalyzed by a heterogeneous gold-carbon nanotube hybrid that was embedded in the device using a micrometric restriction zone. Integration of the nanohybrid permitted efficient flow aerobic oxidation of the substrates into the corresponding silanols with high selectivity and under sustainable conditions.

Keywords: Carbon nanotubes; Catalysis; Flow chemistry; Functionalization; Gold nanoparticles; Microfluidics.