Association of Micro-Chemical Process

The Research Association of Micro Chemical Process Technology (abbreviation MCPT) was established in July 2002 with the aim to conduct experimental research on micro-chemical process technology through the collaborative work of its members. The association has been implementing R D together with its members from 29 different firms of various industries including the chemical industry, the precision machinery industry, and the electrical equipments and electronics industry. In addition, the participation of national, public, and private universities as well as independent administrative institutions has been greatly appreciated. 

Examples are Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Switzerland Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA (ETHZ MIT have formed ajoint team to explore the glycoside formation) Universityof Hull, UK Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT), Germany and Micro-Chemical Process Technology Research Association (MCPT), Japan. 

The reactor is normally associated with chemical processes, but work in the US is directed at developing enzymatic micro-reactors . It is believed that these could be used as sensors, for energy production, chemical synthesis and environmental clean-up. The inherent advantage of enzymes in reactors is that they operate at ambient temperatures and pressures. This, of course, potentially leads to less complex engineering than that necessary for most chemical micro-reactors. 

This chapter presents electrochemical reactions and corrosion processes of Mg and its alloys. First, an analysis of the thermodynamics of magnesium and possible electrochemical reactions associated with Mg are presented. After that an illustration of the nature of surface films formed on Mg and its alloys follows. To comprehensively understand the corrosion of Mg and its alloys, the anodic and cathodic processes are analyzed separately. Having understood the electrochemistry of Mg and its alloys, the corrosion characteristics and behavior of Mg and its alloys are discussed, including self-corrosion reaction, hydrogen evolution, the alkalization effect, corrosion potential, macro-galvanic corrosion, the micro-galvanic effect, impurity tolerance, influence of the chemical composition of the matrix phase, role of the secondary and other phases, localized corrosion and overall corrosivity of alloys. 

The most intensive development of the nanoparticle area concerns the synthesis of metal particles for applications in physics or in micro/nano-electronics generally. Besides the use of physical techniques such as atom evaporation, synthetic techniques based on salt reduction or compound precipitation (oxides, sulfides, selenides, etc.) have been developed, and associated, in general, to a kinetic control of the reaction using high temperatures, slow addition of reactants, or use of micelles as nanoreactors [15-20]. Organometallic compounds have also previously been used as material precursors in high temperature decomposition processes, for example in chemical vapor deposition [21]. Metal carbonyls have been widely used as precursors of metals either in the gas phase (OMCVD for the deposition of films or nanoparticles) or in solution for the synthesis after thermal treatment [22], UV irradiation or sonolysis [23,24] of fine powders or metal nanoparticles. 

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