Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Lab Chip. 2017 Apr 11;17(8):1436-1441. doi: 10.1039/c7lc00114b.
Open-channel microfluidic devices have shown great potential in achieving a high degree of fluid control, at relatively low-cost, while enabling the opportunity for rapid fabrication. However, thus far, work in open channel microfluidics has largely focused on controlling the flow of water or other aqueous solutions. In this work we present new open channel microfluidic devices based on surfaces with patterned wettabilty that are capable of controlling the flow of virtually all high and low surface tension liquids. The fabricated open channel devices are capable of constraining a variety of low surface tension oils at high enough flow rates to enable, for the first time, water-in-oil microfluidic emulsification in an open channel device. By changing the flow rates for both the aqueous (dispersed) and organic (continuous) phases, we show that it is possible to vary the size of the emulsified droplets produced in the open channel device. Finally, we utilized the fabricated devices to synthesize relatively monodisperse, hydrogel microparticles that could incorporate a drug molecule. We also investigated the drug release characteristics of the fabricated particles.
开式通道微流控装置在实现高度流体控制方面显示出巨大的潜力，成本相对较低，同时为快速制造提供了机会。然而，迄今为止，开式通道微流控领域的工作主要集中在控制水或其他水溶液的流动。在这项工作中，我们提出了基于具有图案化润湿性的表面的新型开式通道微流控装置，能够控制几乎所有高表面张力和低表面张力液体的流动。所制造的开式通道装置能够以足够高的流速限制各种低表面张力油，从而首次在开式通道装置中实现水包油微流乳化。通过改变水相（分散相）和有机相（连续相）的流速，我们表明可以改变在开式通道装置中产生的乳化液滴的大小。最后，我们利用所制造的装置合成了相对单分散的水凝胶微球，可以包裹药物分子。我们还研究了所制造颗粒的药物释放特性。
