Microchemical Systems
Recent advances in the design and fabrication of micromixers, microseparators and microreactors bring closer the realization of desktop miniature factories, micro-pharmacies and nanomills. They represent a cheap alternative way for production of specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals using a continuos process, allowing simpler process optimization, rapid design implementation, better safety and easier scale-up through replication. This enables rapid product deployment to the marketplace and thus ensuring a significant competitive edge. Microchemical systems such as microreactors also have enormous potential as analytical tools for catalytic, chemical and biochemical researches. The unique properties of a microreactor, which include high heat and mass transfer rates, short residence time and laminar fluid flow, make it an invaluable tool for studying complex reaction systems. Microreactors can provide important information on reaction mechanisms and kinetics that are essential for catalyst optimization, reactor design and scale-up. They can also be used for rapid screening of synthesis pathways to determine the most efficient and environmentally responsible synthesis route. Most separation processes can benefit directly from the larger surface area-to-volume ratio that can be obtained in a microseparator. In fact, a few separation processes, such as extraction and membrane separation have been successfully miniaturized.
The project is roughly divided into two general areas:
1. zeolite microreactors
2. zeolite micromembranes
· Students
· Publications and Presentations
· Conferences and Invited Talks
· Invention Disclosures
Zeolite microreactor containing TS-1 catalyst for selective epoxidation of olefins, Beta zeolite for esterification and CsX for base condensation reaction of aldehydes (i.e., Knoevenagel reaction) are the current focus of our research in the microreactor systems in fine chemical productions. This part of the research is done in collaboration with:
· Dr. Asterios Gavriilidis (University College, London, UK) who is an expert in chemical reactor modeling will be responsible for the detailed analysis of microreactor system and optimization of the reactor architecture.
· Dr. Rosa Martin-Aranda (UNED, Madrid, Spain) is an expert in the application of zeolite catalysts in fine chemical reaction. Her guidance in the proper selection of catalyst and test selection is invaluable. She will be responsible for testing some of our in-house catalysts and in determining their reaction kinetics.
· Dr. Miguel Angel Banares (CSIC, Madrid, Spain) is an expert in Raman and Infrared spectroscopies. His role in this collaboration is to help us develop an in situ technique for the analysis of the reaction in progress within the microreactor
Zeolite micromembranes made of medium pores zeolites were successfully made and tested for gas separation. These micromembranes have great potential use in microsensors and microfuel cells. Collaboration in this research is mainly on the application part of the research, while retaining the fundamental aspects of micromembrane design, fabrication and characterization as an exclusive province of the faculty. The main collaborators for this project are:
· Prof. Chi-Ming Chan (Chemical Engineering, HKUST) who is an expert advanced materials and surface science will collaborate on the fabrication and testing of microfuel cell utilizing zeolites for proton-exchange membrane.
· Dr. Chi-Yu Chan and Prof. R. Renneberg (Chemistry, HKUST) who are know expert in bio-sensor agreed to test the micromembranes as membrane barrier in their sensors.
1. JRS98/32 Microfabricated miniature membrane reactors for catalytic hydrogenation and oxidation reactions.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: King Lun Yeung
STATUS: Completed
SUMMARY: This grant help establish a formal linkage between the HKUST and University College, London in the area of chemical microreactor engineering. The collaboration resulted in developing new techniques for incorporating zeolite catalyst, membrane and structural material within the architecture of microchemical systems. The JRS grant provided the necessary seed money to the partners for obtaining additional assistance from their respective grant agencies.
2. HIA01/02.EG1 Microfuel cells.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: King Lun Yeung
STATUS: Completed
SUMMARY: The objectives of the proposed project are to explore the use of nanomaterials for microfuel cell devices and to build a working prototype for testing.
3. HKUST6021/01P Incorporation of zeolites as catalyst, membrane and structural materials in microchemical devices.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: King Lun Yeung
STATUS: On-going (October 2001 - present)
SUMMARY: The objectives of the proposed project are to develop new fabrication technology for incorporating zeolite catalysts, membranes and structural materials in microreactors and memebrane microseparators and to investigate their performance in miniature chemical devices for reaction and separation applications.
4. Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Microfuel Cell.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Chi Ming Chan and King Lun Yeung
STATUS: On-going (January 2001 - present)
SUMMARY: Design, fabrication and testing of a microfuel cell using zeolite micromembrane as a substitute material for the traditional polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) for proton transport between the two fuel cell electrodes.
5. I2MS01/02.EG01 Integrated chemical microsystem for fine chemical production
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: King Lun Yeung
STATUS: On-going (July 2002 - present)
SUMMARY: The proposed project has two important goals. The first goal is to design and build an integrated chemical microsystem for the production of fine chemicals. Emphasis will be made on developing fabrication protocols for incorporating nanoporous zeolites in the microsystem architecture. The second goal is to test the performance of the unit for the production and purification of a,b-unsaturated nitriles and a,b-unsaturated esters by Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde and malonic esters.
6. HKUST 6009_02p Engineered zeolite micromembranes
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: King Lun Yeung
STATUS: On-going (December 2002 - present)
SUMMARY: This project investigates the fundamental issues in zeolite micromembrane synthesis, in particular their incorporation and growth within the confined environment of a microsystem, and to establish the relationship between synthesis parameters and the physicochemical, thermomechanical and transport properties of the zeolite micromembranes.
7. HKUST 6043_03p Zeolite micromembrane for microfuel cell application
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: King Lun Yeung
STATUS: On-going (December 2003 - present)
SUMMARY: The goal of the project is to develop a competitive inorganic proton transport membrane for use in a direct methanol fuel cell (m-DMFC) and build a working system using the new membrane material.
8. Institute of NanoMaterials and NanoTechnology (INMT)
PROJECT LEADER: King Lun Yeung
STATUS: On-going (July 2003 - present)
SUMMARY: The goal is to develop microfuel cells based on ultra-small carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, nanoporous membranes and nanoparticles.
Students: (3 Ph.D. students, 2 M. Phil. students, 1 M.Sc. student, 1 undergraduate students)
· Mr. Joseph L. H. Chau (Ph. D. student, January 1998 - August 2001)
· Ms. Susanna Y. S. Wan (Ph. D. student co-supervised, September 1999 - present)
· Ms. Emily S. M. Lai (M. Phil. student, September 2000 - April 2003)
· Mr. Adrian Y. L. Leung (M. Phil. student, September 2001 - August 2004)
· Mr. M. B. Shing (M.Sc. Student, September 2001 - June 2002)
· Mr. Michael S. M. Kwan (UG student (CENG 398), January - August, 2002, Ph. D. student, September 2003 - present)
· Mr. Anson W. K. Ma (UG student (CENG 398), January - August, 2002)
Publications and Presentations: (12 peer-reviewed journal manuscripts, 29 presentations)
1. Y.S.S. Wan, J.L.H. Chau, K.L. Yeung and A. Gavriilidis, "Design and Fabrication of Zeolite-based Microreactors and Membrane Microseparators," Microporous and Mesoporous Mater. 42 (2001) 157-175. PDF file
2. J.L.H. Chau, Y.S.S. Wan, A. Gavriilidis and K.L. Yeung, "Incorporating zeolites in microchemical systems," Chem. Eng. J., 88 (2002) 187- 200. PDF file
3. J.L.H. Chau and K. L. Yeung, "Zeolite microtunnels and microchunnel," Chem. Commun., 9 (2002) 960-961. PDF file
4. Y.S.S. Wan, J.L.H. Chau, A. Gavriilidis, and K.L. Yeung, "TS-1 zeolite microengineered reactors for 1-pentene epoxidation," Chem. Commun., 8 (2002) 878-879. PDF file
5. S.M. Lai, R. Martin-Aranda and K.L. Yeung, “Knoevenagel condensation reaction in a membrane microreactor,” Chem. Commun., 2 (2003) 218-219. PDF file
6. J.L.H. Chau, A.Y.L. Leung, M.B. Shing, K.L. Yeung and C.M. Chan, “Hydrogen and proton transport properties of nanoporous zeolite micromembranes,” in Z. Tang and P. Sheng (Eds), Nano Science and Technology: Novel Structure and Phenomena, Taylor and Francis, London, 2003, pp228-232.
7. J.L.H. Chau, A.Y.L. Leung, K.L. Yeung, Zeolite micromembranes, Lab-on-a-Chip 3 (2003) 53-55. PDF file
8. Y.S.S. Wan, A. Gavriilidis and K.L. Yeung, "1-pentene epoxidation in titanium silicalite-1 microchannel reactor: A comparison between experiments and model," Trans. IChemE., 81 (2003) 753-760. PDF file
9. S.M. Lai, C.P. Ng, R. Martin-Aranda, K.L. Yeung, Knoevenagel condensation reaction in a zeolite membrane microreactor, J. Microporous and Mesoporous Mater., 66 (2003) 239-252. PDF file.
10. X.F. Zhang, S.M. Lai, R. Martin-Aranda and K.L. Yeung, " An investigation of knoevenagel condensation reaction in microreactors using new zeolite catalysts," Appl. Catal. A, 261(2004) 109-118. PDF file
11. Y.S.S. Wan, J.L.H. Chau, A. Gavriilidis and K.L. Yeung, " 1-pentene epoxidation in catalytic microfabricated reactors," J. Catal., 223 (2004) 241-249. PDF file
12. A.Y.L. Leung and K.L. Yeung, "Microfabricated ZSM-5 zeolite micromembranes, " Chem. Eng. Sci., 59 (2004) 4809-4817. PDF file
13. Y.S.S. Wan, K.L. Yeung and A. Gavriilidis, "TS-1 oxidation of aniline to azoxybenzene in a microstructured reactor," Appl. Catal. A, 281 (2005) 285-293. PDF file
Conferences and Invited Talks:
1. K. L. Yeung, "Incorporation of zeolites in the design architecture of microchemical systems," Invited Lecture at the BRI-BioChip Seminars at HKUST, HK, January 13, 2001.
2. K. L. Yeung, "Zeolite micromembranes for microfuel cell application," 1-Day Symposium on MicroFuel Cell Related Technologies at Hong Kong, HK, May 25, 2001.
3. K. L. Yeung, "Zeolite micromembranes for microfuel cell application," Invited Lecture at State-Key Laboratory in Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics at Dalian, China, May 28, 2001.
4. Y.S.S. Wan, J.L.H. Chau, K.L. Yeung and A. Gavriilidis, "Design and fabrication of zeolite-containing microstructures," 5th International Conference on Microreaction Technology at Strasbourg, France, May 27-30, 2001.
5. K. L. Yeung, "Nanoscience," Invited Lecture at HKPC sponsored meeting on Nanotechnology and Nanoscience, Hong Kong, July 2001.
6. J.L.H. Chau, A.Y.L. Leung and K.L. Yeung, "Gas and Proton Transport Properties of Nanoporous Zeolite Micromembranes for Micro Fuel Cell," Proceedings of Croucher ASI Nano Science and Technology: Novel structure and phenomenon, January 6-11, 2002, Hong Kong.
7. J.L.H. Chau, A.Y.L. Leung and K.L. Yeung, "Permeation and Separation Performance of Engineered Zeolite Micromembranes", ICIM-7 at Dalian, China, June 23-26, 2002.
8. J.L.H. Chau and K.L. Yeung, “Design and fabrication of zeolite micromembranes,” ICIM-7 at Dalian, China, June 23-26, 2002.
9. S.M. Lai, Y.S.S Wan, K.L. Yeung, A. Gavriilidis and Rosa Martin-Aranda, "On the Fabrication and Testing of a Multi-channel Membrane Microreactor," ICCMR-5 at Dalian, China, 26-28 June 2002.
10. K.L. Yeung, "Zeolite in Microchemical System, "Invited Talk at the Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China, June 28, 2002.
11. K.L. Yeung, "Design, Fabrication and Testing of Zeolite Micromembranes, "Plenary lecture at the 1st International Conference on Materials Processing for Properties and Performance (MP3), Singapore, August 1-3, 2002.
12. J.L.H. Chau, A.Y.L. Leung and K.L. Yeung, “Design, fabrication and performance of zeolite micromembranes,” ISCRE-17 at Hong Kong, August 25-28, 2002.
13. Y.S.S. Wan, J.L.H. Chau, K.L. Yeung and A. Gavriilidis, "Titanium silicalite-1 microreactors for 1-pentene epoxidation,” ISCRE-17 at Hong Kong, August 25-28, 2002.
14. K. L. Yeung, J.L.H. Chau and A.Y.L. Leung, “Microfabricated zeolite miniature membranes for micro fuel cell applications,” AIChE 2002 at Indianapolis, November 3-8, 2002.
15. K. L. Yeung and A. Gavriilidis, “Membrane microreactor for base-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation reaction,” AIChE 2002 at Indianapolis, November 3-8, 2002.
16. K. L. Yeung, “Zeolites in microsystems and their applications,” Invited Lecture at the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Notre Dame at South Bend, Indiana, U.S.A., November 11, 2002.
17. K.F. Lam, S.M. Lai and K.L. Yeung, "Biological applications of structural and chemical micropatterns based on zeolite materials," AIChE 2003 at San Francisco, USA, November 16-21, 2003.
18. K.F. Lam and K.L. Yeung, "Design and fabrication of miniature zeolite membrane microstructure," AIChE 2003 at San Francisco, USA, November 16-21, 2003.
19. N. Yao and K.L. Yeung, "Incorporation of functional metal oxide materials in chemical microsystems," 2003 MRS Fall Meeting at Boston, USA, December 1-5, 2003.
20. S.M. Lai, Y.S.S. Wan, J.L.H. Chau, K.L. Yeung and A. Gavriilidis and R. Martin-Aranda, "Zeolite catalyst and membrane in microreactor systems," IZC-14 at Cape Town, South Africa, April 25-30, 2004.
21. A.Y.L. Leung and K.L. Yeung, "Microfabricated zeoite micromembranes," IZC-14 at Cape Town, South Africa, April 25-30, 2004.
22. W.N. Lau, X.F. Zhang and K.L. Yeung "Microfabricated membrane reactors for fine chemical synthesis," ICCMR-6 at Lahnstein, Germany, July 6-9, 2004.
23. W.T. Wong, K.F. Lam and K.L. Yeung "Esterification reaction in novel HZSM-5 microtunnel and microchunnel reactors," ICCMR-6 at Lahnstein, Germany, July 6-9, 2004.
24. Y.S.S. Wan, A. Gavriilidis and K.L. Yeung "TS-1 Oxidation of aniline to azoxybenzene in a microstructured reactor," ICCMR-6 at Lahnstein, Germany, July 6-9, 2004.
25. Y.S.S. Wan, K.L. Yeung and A. Gavriilidis, "Performance of microfabricated TS-1 microreactor for alkene epoxidation," ICC-13 at Paris, France, July 11-16, 2004.
26. X. Zhang, S.M. Lai, K.L. Yeung and R.Martin-Aranda, "Membrane microreactors for fine chemical synthesis," ICC-13 at Paris, France, July 11-16, 2004.
27. A.Y.L. Leung, K.L. Yeung and M.B. Shing, "Properties of free standing ZSM-5 micromembrane with different Si/Al ratio," ICIM-8 at Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, July 18-22, 2004.
28. W.N. Lau, X. Zhang, K.L. Yeung and R. Martin-Aranda, "Fine chemical synthesis by microfabricated membrane reactors," ICIM-8 at Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, July 18-22, 2004.
29. K.F. Lam and K.L. Yeung, "Fabrication of miniature zeolite membrane microstructure for chemical storage and delivery," ICIM-8 at Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, July 18-22, 2004.
