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Microfluidic synthesis of tail‐shaped alginate microparticles using slow sedimentation
Author(s) -
Lin YungSheng,
Yang ChihHui,
Hsu YiYao,
Hsieh ChenLing
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/elps.201200282
Subject(s) - microfluidics , sedimentation , calcium alginate , materials science , sodium alginate , viscosity , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , calcium , sodium , sediment , composite material , paleontology , engineering , metallurgy , biology
This study reports the synthesis of tail‐shaped alginate particles using a microfluidic platform combined with a sedimentation strategy. By utilizing microfluidic emulsification in the cross‐junction channel, the formation of regular droplets was achieved. Following a facile and convenient sedimentation process and an ionic crosslinking process, sodium‐alginate droplets became tail‐shaped and then gradually developed into calcium‐alginate microparticles. The effects of the concentration of the C a C l 2 crosslinker and the viscosity of the alginate solution on the shape and/or size of the particles were further investigated. The proposed synthesis methodology has the advantages of actively controlling the tail‐shape formation, having a narrow size distribution, as well as being a facile and convenient process with a high throughput. This approach can be applied to many applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical arena.