The review is presented in two major sections; the first provides historical context for reaction acceleration in and around droplets, discussing past observations made across various disciplines and systems of micro- and nanodroplets, and highlighting mechanisms that are proposed to explain the phenomena; and the second section provides electrochemical measurements from the past five years that report on the reactivity of micro- and nanodroplets.
Analytical techniques operating at the nanoscale introduce confinement as a tool at our disposal. This review delves into the phenomenon of accelerated reactivity within micro- and nanodroplets. A decade of accelerated reactivity observations was succeeded by several years of fundamental studies aimed at mechanistic enlightenment. Herein, the authors provide a brief historical context for rate enhancement in and around micro- and nanodroplets and summarize the mechanisms that have been proposed to contribute to such extraordinary reactivity. They highlight recent electrochemical reports that make use of restricted mass transfer to enhance electrochemical reactions and/or quantitatively measure reaction rates within droplet-confined electrochemical cells. A comprehensive approach to nanodroplet reactivity is paramount to understanding how nature takes advantage of these systems to provide life on Earth and, in turn, how to harness the full potential of such systems. (Published Abstract Provided)