The Photochemical CSTR combines efficient continuous stirring with high-intensity LED irradiation to enable photochemical reactions involving solids, slurries and multiple phases. Continuous stirring maintains a homogeneous reaction mixture, ensuring efficient light exposure while preventing catalyst sedimentation and enabling heterogeneous photochemical reactions that are difficult or impossible to perform in conventional tubular photoreactors.
Application examples
- Heterogeneous photocatalysis
- Photocatalysis using suspended catalysts
- Slurry photochemistry
- Gas-liquid photochemical reactions
- Visible-light synthetic transformations
- Photopolymerization
- Continuous photochemical process development
Photochemical CTSR features
- Integrated magnetic stirring (100–1200 rpm)
- Continuously adjustable reaction volume (5–40 mL)
- Pressurised operation up to 5 bar
- Precise temperature control from 10 °C to +150 °C
- Uniform, high-intensity LED irradiation
- Maintains suspended photocatalysts throughout the reaction
- Handles slurry, gas-liquid and heterogeneous photochemistry
- Modular multi-reactor configurations
Key advantages
Conventional tubular photochemical reactors are often unsuitable for suspensions or heterogeneous photocatalysis because catalyst particles can settle, leading to poor irradiation and reactor fouling. The Photochemical CSTR overcomes these limitations through continuous stirring, maintaining a uniformly mixed reaction throughout the illuminated volume. The result is improved catalyst utilisation, excellent reproducibility and efficient continuous processing of photochemical reactions involving solids, slurries and multiple phases.
An integrated photochemical add-on for the Vapourtec flow continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR).
Over recent years many research groups and fine chemical manufacturing companies have explored the use of photochemical mediated reactions in CSTRs. The key benefits over tubular reactors being the tolerance of solid reagents, solid reaction products or solid by products.
Vapourtec has made a photochemical add-on available for easy integration with the R-Series and E-Series flow chemistry systems. This photochemical add-on for the CSTR expands the capabilities of our existing systems in two ways:
- It allows the CSTR to undertake reagentless photochemical reactions.
- It expands the scope of continuous flow photochemistry by improving the ability to handle solids.
The CSTR allows thermally- or catalyst-mediated reactions in continuous flow using a cascade of reactors. Adding the LED option provides access to photochemically mediated reactions. The potential for exploring novel chemical space is increased by allowing the use of solid catalysis or by enabling reactions that generate solid products or solid byproducts. The CSTR also allows the removal of gaseous reaction products. The photochemical CSTR cascade is suitable for flow reactions involving solids and liquids and can include up to eight reactors (using an R-series system with two R4 modules).
Most other key parameters of the CSTR remain consistent
- Cascade of up to 8 CSTR’s on R-Series and 2 CSTR’s on E-Series
- Perfect for flow reactions involving solids
- 5 ml to 40 ml volume per CSTR
- Pressurised reactions up to 5.0 bar
- Ability to heat and cool the reactor -10 °C to + 80 °C
- Magnetic stirring from 100 rpm to 1200 rpm
- Easy to disassemble & assemble for cleaning
- Good chemical resistance (wetted materials: glass, PTFE, PFA, Kalrez)
- Longer residence times achieved
See reference publication:
[1] Multiphase Photochemistry in Flow Mode via an Integrated Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) Approach
A.I. Alfano, M. Smyth, S. Wharry, T.S. Moody, M. Nuño, C. Butters, M. Baumann, ChemComm (2024)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D4CC02477J
