Research

Mission

To investigate and control the influence of mesoscale phenomena on the macroscopic outcome of chemical unit operations and (bio)chemical analysis.

The Meso approach

Essential in our approach is the design and fabrication of functional structures: 

  1. with dimensions fitting to the dynamics of a (photo/electro) chemical process
  2. with high structural order to streamline heat/mass transport in a flowing medium

The resulting mesoscale (i.e. between nm and mm) structures are integrated in processing or analysis units. Matching time scales of elemental molecular steps with the rate-limiting mass/heat/electron/photon transport phenomena by structural design gives substantial improvements in chemical reactivity and selectivity and leads to intensification of chemical reaction and separation processes.

Furthermore, matching dimensions of the crucial compartments of analytical  instruments with the volume of mass-limited samples, or with the size of target specimens (particles, droplets, bubbles, crystallites and living cells) gives enhanced analytical resolution and sensitivity.