Microreactor applications in the consumer goods

The topic of this chapter is challenging in two ways. The first issue is the term consumer goods , which can be used broadly and maybe raises different expectations to this chapter. The second issue is the low level of information available about microreactor applications in the consumer goods industry. 

As mentioned in the Introduction, the topic of microreactor applications in the consumer goods industry has so far no sharp contour. The above examples cover a fairly broad range of application fields and are most often only loosely connected. Therefore, in the follotving an attempt is made to structure the topic somewhat. Owing to the state of the topic, this structuring is naturally preliminary and incomplete but may function as a starting point. 

Correspondingly, there might also be screening applications in the consumer goods industry which could profit from the use of microreactors. 

The aim of this chapter is to deliver a closed initial overview over the topic. In consequence, there are some overlaps with other chapters in this handbook, where partly similar examples are discussed. Unique to this chapter is nevertheless the permanent orientation towards the application area of the consumer goods industry. The general intention here is to report the existing application examples in the consumer goods industry but also to enable and to stimulate a broader discussion between the microreactor community and the consumer goods industry. 

Table 22.1 Microreactor application areas in the consumer goods industry.

Table 22.2 Microreactor application topics in the consumer goods indust. ...

The application of microreactors in emulsiflcation processes has been investigated in recent years. A detailed overview on this topic of emulsification in general can be found in Chapters 20 and 21. Here, the focus is only to outline the major traits which might be of interest with regard to the consumer goods industry. Emulsification is certainly currently the application area which shows the largest connection to that industry. 

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