Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Colmenares giving an invited lecture entitled: “Selective semiconductor photocatalysis through microflow chemistry: a green approach for organic synthesis” (co-authors: T. Dańko and V. Nair).
What is about: Encouraged by the benefits of microfluidic-based photoreactors, the current work focusses on the photocatalytic oxidation of the simplest model aromatic compound of lignin (benzyl alcohol) in a polymer-based microfluidic photoreactor. For this study, nanostructured ZnO and TiO2 were prepared by a sonication-assisted method and deposited internally on the walls of a polymer-based microtubes. The photocatalytic activity of the semiconductor-coated fluoropolymer-based microcapillary was evaluated for selective conversion of benzyl alcohol to benzylaldehyde in flow conditions.
Sign-up for our science Newsletter