Lab-on-a-chip devices for gold nanoparticle synthesis and their role as a catalyst support for continuous flow catalysis

Abstract

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems are extensively used in recent times for applications in nanotechnology ranging from synthesis of nanomaterials to their utilization in catalysis, biomedicine, and drug delivery. A variety of nanomaterials – inorganic materials such as metal, metal oxide, quantum dots, and organic materials based on polymers and biological molecules – have been synthesized and their applications explored based on LOC devices. Among several inorganic nanomaterials, the applications of LOC devices for gold-based nanomaterials have been widely investigated over the past couple of decades. Though the synthesis and applications of inorganic nanomaterials using these systems have been thoroughly reviewed earlier, including those from our group, there are only a few recent review articles that cover gold-based nanomaterials. As the promise of supported gold nanoparticles (NPs) as exceptionally effective catalysts is beginning to be realized, LOC-based approach for continuous flow gold catalysis has begun to be exploited. Here, in this review, we focus on synthesis and catalysis applications of nanostructured gold using the LOC systems. With millifluidics-based LOCs gaining traction, this review fulfills the need for a comprehensive analysis covering both traditional microfluidics as well as recent millifluidics for catalysis applications utilizing gold nanomaterials.

Keywords

• catalysis
• gold
• lab-on-a-chip systems