Effect of surface wettability on microfluidic EDGE emulsification

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2013 Aug 1:403:157-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2013.04.036. Epub 2013 Apr 30.

Abstract

The effect of wettability on microfluidic EDGE emulsification was investigated at dispersed phase contact angles between 90° and 160°. The highest contact angle (160°) produced monodispersed emulsions with droplet size 5.0 μm and coefficient of variation <10%; however, pressure stability was very low. This was greatly enhanced at contact angles <150°; the plateaus filled completely, and the droplet generation frequencies increased up to a factor of 2.0 and 3.5 for Tween20 and Tween60 respectively at the same pressures. The emulsion became highly polydispersed at contact angles <100° due to wetting with the dispersed phase.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Emulsions
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Polysorbates / chemistry*
  • Wettability*

Substances

  • Emulsions
  • Polysorbates