Co-axial capillaries microfluidic device for synthesizing size- and morphology-controlled polymer core-polymer shell particles

Abstract

An easy assembling-disassembling co-axial capillaries microfluidic device was built up for the production of double droplets. Uniform polymer core-polymer shell particles were synthesized by polymerizing the two immiscible monomer phases composing the double droplet. Thus poly(acrylamide) core-poly(tri(propylene glycol) diacrylate) shell particles with controlled core diameter and shell thickness were simply obtained by adjusting operating parameters. An empirical law was extracted from experiments to predict core and shell sizes. Additionally uniform and predictable non-spherical polymer objects were also prepared without adding shape-formation procedures in the experimental device. An empirical equation for describing the lengths of rod-like polymer particles is also presented.

Porous polymer particles—A comprehensive guide to synthesis, characterization, functionalization and applications

“…17(B)). This design was important as it allowed further development by using capillaries instead of the discrete phase needle [157,160,[194][195]. Theoretically, monodisperse particles with few µmeters in diameter should be possible to achieve via this type of devices since down to 2 µm internal diameter capillaries are commercially available.…”

“…It is the elaborate chip design that allowed researchers not only to miniaturize microchannel emulsification reactors and prepare narrowly monodisperse spherical beads but also to achieve unprecedented control over structure and shape of particles. This unique capability of control resulted in the realization of perfectly controlled multiple emulsions [136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145], Janus particles [146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154][155][156], regular nonspherical shapes [157][158][159][160][161][162][163][164][165][166] and even gas bubbles [167][168][169][170][171], almost all of which were impossible to achieve before.…”

Flexible microfluidic fabrication of oil-encapsulated alginate microfibers

“…Figure 1c shows the evolution of fiber morphology from fibers encapsulating discrete oil segments as spheres, prolate ellipsoids (referred to as ellipsoid for simplicity) and plug-like to eventually a single straight tube filled up with oil, all obtained via increasing the inner oil phase volumetric flow rate (Q oil ) at a constant middle alginate phase flow rate (Q alg ). It is evident that the volume of dispersed oil phase increases with Q oil [23][24][25]. However, the increase in the oil 5 segment volume may alter its shape because of geometrical constraints imposed by the gelling shell, as seen in Figure 1c.…”

Flow-Based Surface Decoration of Microparticles with Titania and Other Transition Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

“…We and others have demonstrated the utility of simple devices for the formation of droplets and microcapsules from reactive precursors [25][26][27][28]. While using tubing and T-junctions provides an uncomplicated alternative to chip-based devices, the approach also enables rapid device reconfiguration that can offer new capabilities.…”