Nurumbetov, Gabit E. (2013) Synthesis of anisotropic microparticles and capsules via droplet microfluidics. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

We have developed simplified microfluidic droplet generators and employed them
to fabricate anisotropic polymer particles and capsules in the size range of 100–500 μm.
We used cheap and generally available materials and equipment to design and assemble
microfluidic devices. All our devices were made of standard wall borosilicate capillaries
(OD 1.0mm, ID 0.58mm), steel dispensing needles without bevel (30 G, 32 G),
microscopy glass slides, fast-curing epoxy glue (Araldite-80805) and diamond scribe to
process the glass. We designed four different geometries for each device, which can be
separated for two groups: single and double droplet generators. The performance of the
devices was validated using computational fluid dynamics and laboratory experiments.
First of all, we tried to fabricate intricate single emulsion droplets and then moved
on to double emulsion droplets. The range of the fabricated particles and capsules
includes anisotropically-shaped amphiphilic polymer “microbuckets”, biphasic
particles, capsules with various fillers and stimuli responsive polymer vesicles. To
produce such objects we employed different functional monomers, for instance
“clickable” glycidyl methacrylate or hydrophilic 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. We also
utilized several chemical and physical phenomena such as internal phase separation,
wettability or polymer chain cross-linking to tune the properties of the synthesized
particles. We investigated properties of the above mentioned particles and capsules. For
example, “microbuckets” which are hydrophilic at the exterior surface, but hydrophobic
inside the cavity, were able to withdraw oil droplets from an aqueous phase and “arrest”
them inside the cavity.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics Q Science > QD Chemistry
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Particles, Microfluidics, Anisotropy, Drops, Emulsion polymerization
Official Date:	February 2013
Dates:	Date Event February 2013 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Chemistry
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Bon, Stefan Antonius Franciscus
Extent:	xx, 157 leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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