Imagine trying to bake a cake using a flashlight, but the light only hits the surface. This project creates a special glass straw that carries light deep inside the mixture using tiny gold-like particles to spread the energy evenly. It turns a slow, wasteful process into a fast, continuous stream of chemical production.
The chemical industry is a major CO2 emitter, and while photochemistry is a greener alternative, it cannot be scaled up because light cannot penetrate deep into large-scale reactors.
A fiber-based micro-reactor using plasmonic nanoparticles to distribute light and 3D laser-machined micro-inlets (< 50 µm) for fluid flow.
If you are a drug synthesis manufacturer dealing with pharmaceutical shortages and inefficient batch processing — this project developed a fibre-based micro reactor that allows for precise light management and continuous flow, increasing reaction yield and safety.
If you are a pesticide producer dealing with high CO2 emissions from traditional heating — this project developed a light-driven reactor that substitutes fossil fuels with sustainable energy sources to prepare agrochemicals.
If you are a water treatment plant dealing with pollutants that require photochemical breakdown — this project developed a micro-scale reactor with < 50 µm inlets that enables high-efficiency water treatment via continuous flow photochemistry.
Based on available project data, specific pricing for the reactor is not provided, though the project received an EU contribution of EUR 3,111,973 for development.
Yes, the project specifically addresses the 'missing light management' bottleneck that previously hindered upscaling, aiming for industry-demanded scale-up through the use of specialty optical fibers.
Based on available project data, specific patent or licensing terms are not listed, but the project involves a consortium of 6 partners including an SME and a university.
The technology replaces traditional batch reactors with a continuous flow system using a monolithic fiber component and laser-based micro-machining for fluid interfacing.
The project is active from 2023-04-01 to 2027-03-31.
The consortium consists of 6 partners across 4 countries (DE, ES, NL, PL). It is heavily weighted toward research, with 3 universities and 2 research institutions, while industry representation is low at 17% (1 SME). This suggests the project is currently driven by academic discovery with a limited but present bridge to commercial application.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet Hannover
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