Microfluidics
- Materials science in microfluidics
- Microfluidics as a discovery platform
Materials science in microfluidics
Our group pioneered continuous microfluidic synthesis of polymer particles. The synthesis included microfluidic emulsification and continuous on-chip solidification of droplets by means of polymerization or gelation. We generated particles with precisely controlled dimensions and a variety of shapes, morphologies and compositions, including liquid-crystalline-polymer microbeads, porous particles, quantum dot-loaded particles, microgel capsules, and microspheres with IPN structures. Currently, we work on multi-step consecutive reactions compartmentalized in droplets and on the various applications of particles produced by microfluidic synthesis.
Representative publications
- Xu et al. Generation of Monodisperse Particles Using Microfluidics: Control over Size, Shape and Composition. Angew. Chemie Intnl. Ed. 44, 724-728 (2005)
- Nie et al. Polymer Particles with Various Shapes and Morphologies Produced in Continuous Microfluidic Reactors. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 8058-8063 (2005)
- Nie et al. Janus and Ternary Particles Generated by Microfluidic Synthesis: Design, Synthesis and Self-Assembly. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 9408-9412 (2006)
- Zhang, H. et al. Microfluidic Production of Biopolymer Microcapsules with Controlled Morphology. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 36 117-142 (2006)
- Li et al. Multi-Step Microfluidic Polymerization Reactions Conducted in Droplets. J. Am Chem. Soc. 130, 9935-9941 (2008)
- Park, J. I et al. A Microfluidic Approach to Chemically Driven Assembly of Colloidal Particles at Gas-Liquid Interfaces. Angew. Chemie Intnl. Ed. 48, 5300-5304 (2009). Cover page
Microfluidics as a discovery platform
Compartmentalisation of reactions or physical processes into microdroplets offers a new approach to experimental science. Here our goal is to explore in a high throughput manner new reaction routes and mechanisms and to examine interesting physical processes. In particular, we are interested in studying the mechanisms and kinetics of organic chemistry reactions that cannot be studied in conventional reactors.
In another project, we are interested in biomedical applications of microfluidics. We study how cell fate depends on the chemical, physical, or biological properties of microenvironments that we create by microfluidic methods. We also use microfluidics to replicate cardiovascular systems and in this manner, we model the behavior of cells in blood capillaries.
Representative publications
- Li, W. et al. Screening of the Effect of Surface Energy of Microchannels on Microfluidic Emulsification Langmuir 23, 8010-8014 (2007)
- Li, W et al. Simultaneous Generation of Droplets with Different Dimensions in Parallel Integrated Microfluidic Droplet Generators. Soft Matter 4, 258-262 (2008).
- Fiddes L.K. et al. Augmenting Microgel Flow via Receptor-Ligand Binding in the Constrained Geometries of Microchannels. Lab Chip 9, 286-290 (2009).
- Fiddes L.K. et al. A Circular Cross-Section PDMS Microfluidics System for Replication of Cardiovascular Flow Conditions. Biomaterials (on line publication)
- Greener, J. et al. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for On-Chip Monitoring of Solute Concentrations. Lab Chip (in press)