Abstract
Solvent extraction is a method capable of separating compounds based on their solution preferences for two different immiscible liquids. In other words, it is the extraction of a substance from one liquid phase into another liquid phase. Solvent extraction is a fundamental technique in chemical/biological laboratories and chemical industries, where it is carried out in the macroscale using separatory funnels. The advantage of doing a solvent extraction in the microspace on a chip is the scale merit of using small dimensions, that is, a large specific interface area (the interface-to-volume ratio) and a short diffusion distance, which together results in a short diffusion time. High speed and high performance solvent extraction systems are possible on chips, without the need for mechanical stirring, mixing, or shaking, all of which are necessary for the conventional method.