MICROFABRICATION METHODS FOR MICROCHANNEL REACTORS AND SEPARATIONS SYSTEMS

Abstract The fabrication of a microchannel chemical solvent separation unit and a microchannel chemical reactor is described. The performance of the solvent separation unit was enhanced by improved kinetic effects resulting from short liquid/liquid contact times in the device. These effects were exploited to allow preferential extraction of solute species from a fluid waste stream. The completed unit consisted of a series of microchannels separated by micromachined metal or polyimide membranes. Channel and membrane layers were produced from individual layers of type 304 stainless steel shim. Laser micromachining, photochemical machining, and photolithographic patterning were used to fabricate the individual layers. Flow channel width, height and length was 100 μm, 1 cm, and 8 cm respectively. The channels had an aspect ratio of 1000. The separation membranes consisted of an array of 5- μm to 30- μm-diameter micropores laser micromachined in polyimide or 130 μm diameter micropores machined through the stai...