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Large Ultrathin Shelled Drops Produced via Non‐Confined Microfluidics
Author(s) -
Chaurasia Ankur S.,
Josephides Dimitris N.,
Sajjadi Shahriar
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201402606
Subject(s) - dispersity , pulmonary surfactant , surface tension , drop (telecommunication) , shell (structure) , microfluidics , materials science , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , core (optical fiber) , chemistry , composite material , polymer chemistry , thermodynamics , telecommunications , physics , computer science , engineering
We present a facile approach for producing large and monodisperse core–shell drops with ultrathin shells using a single‐step process. A biphasic compound jet is introduced into a quiescent third (outer) phase that ruptures to form core–shell drops. Ultrathin shelled drops could only be produced within a certain range of surfactant concentrations and flow rates, highlighting the effect of interfacial tension in engulfing the core in a thin shell. An increase in surfactant concentrations initially resulted in drops with thinner shells. However, the drops with thinnest shells were obtained at an optimum surfactant concentration, and a further increase in the surfactant concentrations increased the shell thickness. Highly monodisperse (coefficient of variation smaller than 3 %) core–shell drops with diameter of ∼200 μm–2 mm with shell thickness as small as ∼2 μm were produced. The resulting drops were stable enough to undergo polymerisation and produce ultrathin shelled capsules.