Extending the Range of Sizes of Monodisperse Core-Shell Hydrogel Capsules from Composite Jet Breakup by Combined Electrical and Mechanical Actuation.

ABSTRACT: The production of monodisperse particles or droplets is a longstanding issue across various fields, from aerosol science to inkjet printing. In bioengineering, sub-millimeter cell-laden hydrogel capsules have proven valuable for developing in vitro tissue models. A common practical approach for producing such droplets relies on the Plateau-Rayleigh instability to break up a liquid compound jet in air. However, while the droplet size is closely linked to nozzle dimensions, achieving high monodispersity suitable for quantitative biological assays remains challenging due to coalescence events associated with the beads-on-a-string morphology of viscoelastic jets. Here, a microfluidic strategy is introduced, combining electrical and mechanical actuation to enhance control and versatility over j

SUBMITTER: Suire L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12520576 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature