According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a microwave reactor including a container for storing a bath fluid, a tube including an inlet at one end through which a target fluid is introduced, an outlet at another end through which the target fluid is discharged, wherein at least a portion of the tube is submerged in the bath fluid, and at least one radiator located outside the container and configured to irradiate microwaves into the container.

A method of enhancing a chemical reaction. The method includes providing catalyst particles with a predefined geometric shape having at least one of edges and points; and applying microwave energy to the catalyst particles, enhancing catalytic activity of the catalyst particles without increasing bulk temperature of surrounding reactants.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a microwave reactor including a container for storing a bath fluid, a tube including an inlet at one end through which a target fluid is introduced, an outlet at another end through which the target fluid is discharged, wherein at least a portion of the tube is submerged in the bath fluid, and at least one radiator located outside the container and configured to irradiate microwaves into the container.

An instrument and method for accelerating the solid phase synthesis of peptides are disclosed. The method includes the steps of deprotecting a protected first amino acid linked to a solid phase resin by admixing the protected linked acid with a deprotecting solution in a microwave transparent vessel while irradiating the admixed acid and solution with microwaves, activating a second amino acid, coupling the second amino acid to the first acid while irradiating the composition in the same vessel with microwaves, and cleaving the linked peptide from the solid phase resin by admixing the linked peptide with a cleaving composition in the same vessel while irradiating the composition with microwaves.

An instrument and method for accelerating the solid phase synthesis of peptides are disclosed. The method includes the steps of deprotecting a protected first amino acid linked to a solid phase resin by admixing the protected linked acid with a deprotecting solution in a microwave transparent vessel while irradiating the admixed acid and solution with microwaves, activating a second amino acid, coupling the second amino acid to the first acid while irradiating the composition in the same vessel with microwaves, and cleaving the linked peptide from the solid phase resin by admixing the linked peptide with a cleaving composition in the same vessel while irradiating the composition with microwaves.

An instrument and method for accelerating the solid phase synthesis of peptides are disclosed. The method includes the steps of deprotecting a protected first amino acid linked to a solid phase resin by admixing the protected linked acid with a deprotecting solution in a microwave transparent vessel while irradiating the admixed acid and solution with microwaves, activating a second amino acid, coupling the second amino acid to the first acid while irradiating the composition in the same vessel with microwaves, and cleaving the linked peptide from the solid phase resin by admixing the linked peptide with a cleaving composition in the same vessel while irradiating the composition with microwaves.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to apparatus and methods for converting carbon dioxide and/or methane into higher alkanes and hydrogen gas in a single reaction chamber using a catalyst and microwave radiation.