Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for the on-site production of a sterilizing gas and sterilization of objects. In a first step of the method, an alcohol is catalytically converted to an alkene oxide. The alkene oxide is subsequently mixed with an inert gas comprising water vapor and nitrogen to produce a sterilizing gas. Finally, the objects are sterilized with the sterilizing gas. The only starting materials used throughout the entire method are at least one alcohol and a gas comprising oxygen and nitrogen. An apparatus is provided in which the method can be performed.

Abstract: A microfluidic component made of a metal sheet having a structure which includes a closed fluid line and which is formed of a structured surface of a first section of the metal sheet and an adjoining structured or unstructured surface of a second section of the metal sheet, wherein the metal sheet is folded such that the sections integrally connected to each other are located on top of each other in a surface-parallel manner. The metal sheet further includes at least one third section having a contoured edge and is moreover folded such that the third section is also supported in a surface-parallel manner and the contoured edge forms a first wall section and the adjoining structured or unstructured surface of the first or second section forms a second wall section of an open fluid line. A microfluidic reactor comprising a plurality of such microfluidic components and a method for producing such components.