Polymer Capsules with Tunable Shell Thickness Synthesized via Janus-to-core shell Transition of Biphasic Droplets Produced in a Microfluidic Flow-Focusing Device.

ABSTRACT: Droplet microfluidics has enabled the synthesis of polymeric particles with controlled sizes, shell thickness, and morphologies. Here, we report the Janus to core-shell structural evolution of biphasic droplets formed in a microfluidic flow-focusing device (MFFD) for the synthesis of polymer microcapsules with oil core/thickness-tunable shell via off-chip photo- and thermally induced polymerization. First, nanoliter-sized biphasic Janus droplets comprising an acrylate monomer and silicone oil were generated in a co-flowing aqueous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution in an MFFD on a glass chip. Immediately following their break-off, the produced Janus droplets started to change their geometry from Janus to core-shell structure comprising a single silicone-oil core and an acrylate-monomer shell

SUBMITTER: Xu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7067790 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature