Catalytic reactions performed in micro-structured reactors are more and more recognized as a novel approach for chemistry and chemical process industry. They are particularly suited for highly exothermic and fast reactions allowing temperature control and isothermal operation. Small reactor dimensions facilitate the use of distributed production units at the place of consumption. Moreover, the small inventories of reactants and products lead to an inherent safety during the reactor operation even under conditions within the explosion regime.

The efficient use of catalytic micro-systems requires the simultaneous development of the catalyst and the reactor. The catalyst design should be closely integrated with the reactor design taking into consideration the reaction kinetics, mass-/heat transfer and the energy supply addressing high selectivity/yield of the target product.

In the paper novel designs of micro-structured reactors and the incorporation of catalytically active phase will be presented.  The beneficial effect of improved heat and mass transfer due to reactor miniaturization will be demonstrated through some case studies.