Encoded particles have a demonstrated value for multiplexed high-throughput bioassays such as drug discovery and clinical diagnostics. In diverse samples, the ability to use a large number of distinct identification codes on assay particles is important to increase throughput. Proper handling schemes are also needed to readout these codes on free-floating probe microparticles. Here we create vivid, free-floating structural coloured particles with multi-axis rotational control using a colour-tunable magnetic material and a new printing method. Our colour-barcoded magnetic microparticles offer a coding capacity easily into the billions with distinct magnetic handling capabilities including active positioning for code readouts and active stirring for improved reaction kinetics in microscale environments. A DNA hybridization assay is done using the colour-barcoded magnetic microparticles to demonstrate multiplexing capabilities.
Magnetochromatic microspheres have been fabricated through instant assembly of superparamagnetic (SPM) colloidal particles inside emulsion droplets of UV curable resin followed by an immediate UV curing process to polymerize the droplets and fix the ordered structures. When dispersed in the liquid droplets, superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2) core/shell particles self-organize under the balanced interaction of repulsive and attractive forces to form one-dimensional chains, each of which contains periodically arranged particles diffracting visible light and displaying field-tunable colors. UV initiated polymerization of the oligomers of the resin fixes the periodic structures inside the droplet microspheres and retains the diffraction property. Because the superparamagnetic chains tend to align themselves along the field direction, it is very convenient to control the orientation of such photonic microspheres and, accordingly, their diffractive colors, by changing the orientation of the crystal lattice relative to the incident light using magnetic fields. The excellent stability together with the capability of fast on/off switching of the diffraction by magnetic fields makes the system suitable for applications such as color display, rewritable signage, and sensors. As a simple demonstration, we have fabricated a display unit that has on/off bistable states by embedding the magnetochromatic microspheres in a matrix that can thermally switch between solid and liquid phases.
We report the rapid formation of photonic crystal structures by assembly of uniform nonmagnetic colloidal particles in ferrofluids using external magnetic fields. Magnetic manipulation of nonmagnetic particles with size down to a few hundred nanometers, suitable building blocks for producing photonic crystals with band gaps located in the visible regime, has been difficult due to their weak magnetic dipole moment. Increasing the dipole moment of magnetic holes has been limited by the instability of ferrofluids toward aggregation at high concentration or under strong magnetic field. By taking advantage of the superior stability of highly surface-charged magnetite nanocrystal-based ferrofluids, in this paper we have been able to successfully assemble 185 nm nonmagnetic polymer beads into photonic crystal structures, from 1D chains to 3D assemblies as determined by the interplay of magnetic dipole force and packing force. In a strong magnetic field with large field gradient, 3D photonic crystals with high reflectance (83%) in the visible range can be rapidly produced within several minutes, making this general strategy promising for fast creation of large-area photonic crystals using nonmagnetic particles as building blocks.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.