When liquids or solid materials rotate, they impart centrifugal and/or shear forces. This Review surveys rotary devices and systems in which such forces control small-scale flows, self-organization phenomena, materials synthesis or chemical reactivity at molecular and macromolecular levels. Centrifugal forces directed away from the rotation axis enable various separations or lab-on-a-disc systems and can shape interfaces or deposit thin films of functional materials. When these forces act on particles lighter than the rotating fluid, they can provide the basis for colloidal crystallization or trapping; when the direction of rotation changes, they can simulate microgravity conditions and affect motility patterns of living organisms. Shear forces, by contrast, can promote crystallization, couple to molecular-scale assembly and affect its chiral outcomes. Combining centrifugal and shear forces is useful in establishing rotating reactors to accelerate reaction kinetics, modulate chemical reactivity, enable multistep syntheses or support complex extractions. Through these and other examples, we illustrate that rotating reaction vessels can enable new types of chemical experimentation, with outcomes that are not always understood. We argue that rotating systems for studying such processes will become more common given advances in remotely controlled sensors and spectrometers that can monitor the contents of rotating vessels.

当液体或固体材料旋转时，它们会产生离心力和/或剪切力。本评论调查了旋转装置和系统，其中这些力在分子和大分子水平上控制小规模流动、自组织现象、材料合成或化学反应。远离旋转轴的离心力可实现各种分离或圆盘实验室系统，并可形成界面或沉积功能材料的薄膜。当这些力作用于比旋转流体轻的颗粒时，它们可以为胶体结晶或捕集提供基础；当旋转方向发生变化时，它们可以模拟微重力条件并影响生物体的运动模式。相比之下，剪切力可以促进结晶，耦合到分子尺度的组装并影响其手性结果。结合离心力和剪切力可用于建立旋转反应器以加速反应动力学、调节化学反应性、实现多步合成或支持复杂的提取。通过这些和其他示例，我们说明旋转反应容器可以实现新型化学实验，其结果并不总是被理解。我们认为，鉴于可以监控旋转容器内容物的远程控制传感器和光谱仪的进步，用于研究此类过程的旋转系统将变得更加普遍。通过这些和其他示例，我们说明旋转反应容器可以实现新型化学实验，其结果并不总是被理解。我们认为，鉴于可以监控旋转容器内容物的远程控制传感器和光谱仪的进步，用于研究此类过程的旋转系统将变得更加普遍。通过这些和其他示例，我们说明旋转反应容器可以实现新型化学实验，其结果并不总是被理解。我们认为，鉴于可以监控旋转容器内容物的远程控制传感器和光谱仪的进步，用于研究此类过程的旋转系统将变得更加普遍。