Recent advances in microfluidics-enabled controlled reaction, assembly and exfoliation of inorganic nanomaterials

Abstract

Microfluidics, involving chemical or physical phenomena at the submillimeter length scale under continuous flow, allows the controlled reaction, assembly, and exfoliation of nanomaterials by adjusting the momentum, heat, and mass transfer. This highlight explores recent progress in studies demonstrating the ability to control the reaction and assembly of various inorganic nanomaterials, including metal, metal chalcogenide, metal oxide, composite and doped nanomaterials, and two-dimensional nanosheets in microfluidics, with representative case studies of each type of material. Furthermore, this highlight discusses the current challenges and gaps in the field of the controlled reaction, assembly, and exfoliation of nanomaterials in microfluidics and future research directions.