Advancements in droplet reactor systems represent new opportunities in chemical reactor engineering: A perspective

Traditional chemical reactors, such as batch reactors, continuous reactors, and semi-batch reactors, have been extensively studied and frequently act as central components of modern chemical plants. Recently, various advances in reaction times, surface-to-volume ratios, required amounts of reagents, and throughput have led to new directions in the design of miniaturized chemical reactors. In this Perspective, we provide an overview of the progress from traditional to miniaturized chemical reactors by summarizing the characteristics and applications of different types of reactors. Furthermore, we compare classical chemical reactors and miniaturized droplet reactors to highlight advancements in the design of droplet reactor systems based on open functional surfaces. Finally, we provide an outlook on the research directions of miniaturized droplet reactors.