Point-of-Use Production of Hazardous Materials

Conventional chemical processing plants produce large quantities of toxic chemicals that must be stored and then transported to the point of use. Often, additional on-site storage is required prior to use. Therefore, the distributed production of toxic feedstocks is one motivation for the miniaturization of chemical systems. They can provide on-demand production of toxic and hazardous chemicals in the small quantities needed. The need for storage and transportation of these materials would reduce the likelihood of accidents. For instance, the use of microtechnology for the production of chlorene, phosgene, and hydrogen cyanide could result in greater safety.