Chemical processing microsystems comprising parallel flow microreactors and methods for using same

The present invention relates generally to the field of combinatorial chemistry and, in preferred applications, to the field of combinatorial materials science. In particular, the invention relates to systems and methods employing microfluidic devices in chemical processes, for characterizing and optimizing such chemical processes and for identifying materials that enhance such chemical processes. Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to microchemical processing systems, to diffusion-mixed microreactors, and to methods for identifying or optimizing heterogeneous catalysts. A chemical processing microsystem useful for identifying and optimizing materials (e.g., catalysts) that enhance chemical processes or for characterizing and/or optimizing chemical processes is disclosed. The chemical processing microsystem comprises a plurality of microreactors and, in a preferred embodiment, a plurality of microseparators integral with the chemical processing microsystem . The microreactors are preferably diffusion-mixed microreactors formed in a plurality of laminae that include a modular, interchangeable candidate-material array . The material array comprises a plurality of different candidate materials (e.g., catalysts), preferably arranged at separate, individually addressable portions of a substrate (e.g., wafer). The microseparators are similarly formed in a plurality of laminae that include a modular, interchangeable adsorbent array . The adsorbent array comprises one or more adsorbents, preferably arranged at separate, individually, addressable portions of a substrate to spatially correspond to the plurality of different candidate materials. Modular microfluidic distribution systems are also disclosed. The chemical processing microsystem can be integrated into a material evaluation system that enables a comprehensive combinatorial material science research program.