Faster droplet production by delayed surfactant-addition in two-phase microfluidics to form thermo-sensitive microgels

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2015 Aug 15:452:38-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2015.04.017. Epub 2015 Apr 16.

Abstract

Microfluidic droplet templating produces monodisperse particles of well controllable sizes, but this is limited by the necessity to operate microfluidic devices at low flow rates in the dripping regime. Here, the per-channel rate of droplet production could be substantially increased by delayed surfactant addition as applied and verified for microfluidic production of N-isopropylacrylamide based microgels.

Keywords: Droplet based microfluidics; Microgel; Rapid production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acrylamides / chemistry*
  • Industrial Oils / analysis*
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Rheology
  • Surface-Active Agents / chemistry*

Substances

  • Acrylamides
  • Surface-Active Agents
  • N-isopropylacrylamide