Method of producing polymeric particles with selected size, shape, morphology and composition
First Claim
1. A process for producing core/shell droplets, the process comprising:
- providing a microfluidic device comprisingat least five microfluidic inlets, including a central microfluidic channel inlet, two inner microfluidic channel inlets, and two outer microfluidic channel inlets, wherein the inner microfluidic channel inlets are arranged on both sides of the central microfluidic channel inlet, and wherein the outer microfluidic channel inlets are arranged adjacent to the inner microfluidic channel inlets;
an orifice in fluid communication with the at least five microfluidic inlets; and
a microfluidic channel in fluid communication with the orifice;
injecting a first fluid into the central microfluidic channel inlet, a second fluid into the inner microfluidic channel inlets, and a third fluid into the outer microfluidic channel inlets, wherein neighbouring fluids are immiscible;
flowing the first fluid, second fluid, and third fluid through the orifice and into the microfluidic channel, such that the second fluid surrounds the first fluid to form a coaxial stream within the third fluid; and
controlling relative flow rates of each of the first fluid, second fluid, and third fluid, such that during passage of the coaxial stream through the microfluidic channel, the coaxial stream breaks up into segments, thereby forming core/shell fluidic droplets with one or more fluidic cores of the first fluid enveloped by a shell of the second fluid.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for producing polymeric particles with pre-designed size, shape, morphology and composition, and more particularly the present invention uses a microfluidic polymerization reactor for producing same. The present invention disclosed herein provides a process for producing polymer particles with pre-selected shapes. The method includes injecting a first fluid comprising a polymerizable constituent with a controlled flow rate into a microfluidic channel and injecting a second fluid with a controlled flow rate into the microfluidic channel in which the second fluid mixes with the first fluid, the second fluid being immiscible with the first fluid so that the first fluid forms into droplets in the microfluidic channel. The microfluidic channel has pre-selected dimensions to give droplets of pre-selected size, morphology and shape. The microfluidic channel is sufficiently long so that the droplets have a sufficiently long residence time in the channel so that they polymerize or otherwise harden into droplets of pre-selected size and shape.
18 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A process for producing core/shell droplets, the process comprising:
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providing a microfluidic device comprising at least five microfluidic inlets, including a central microfluidic channel inlet, two inner microfluidic channel inlets, and two outer microfluidic channel inlets, wherein the inner microfluidic channel inlets are arranged on both sides of the central microfluidic channel inlet, and wherein the outer microfluidic channel inlets are arranged adjacent to the inner microfluidic channel inlets; an orifice in fluid communication with the at least five microfluidic inlets; and a microfluidic channel in fluid communication with the orifice; injecting a first fluid into the central microfluidic channel inlet, a second fluid into the inner microfluidic channel inlets, and a third fluid into the outer microfluidic channel inlets, wherein neighbouring fluids are immiscible; flowing the first fluid, second fluid, and third fluid through the orifice and into the microfluidic channel, such that the second fluid surrounds the first fluid to form a coaxial stream within the third fluid; and controlling relative flow rates of each of the first fluid, second fluid, and third fluid, such that during passage of the coaxial stream through the microfluidic channel, the coaxial stream breaks up into segments, thereby forming core/shell fluidic droplets with one or more fluidic cores of the first fluid enveloped by a shell of the second fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification