Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
10:51
Microfluidic Fabrication of Core-Shell Microcapsules carrying Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Spheroids
Published on: October 13, 2021
Double emulsion templated microcapsules with single hollow cavities and thickness-controllable shells
Fei Gao1, Zhi-Guo Su, Ping Wang
1National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|February 21, 2009
Summary
Researchers developed novel hollow microcapsules with tunable shells using a two-step emulsification and polymerization process. This method offers a versatile strategy for creating advanced microcapsules for applications like microreactors.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Microcapsule technology is crucial for controlled release and encapsulation.
- Developing microcapsules with specific morphologies, like single hollow cavities and controllable shell thickness, remains a challenge.
- Existing methods often lack versatility in controlling microcapsule structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for preparing microcapsules with single hollow cavities and thickness-controllable shells.
- To investigate the parameters influencing the morphology of water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion globules.
- To propose a universal strategy for creating single-core globules from multicore precursors for subsequent microcapsule fabrication.
Main Methods:
- A two-step emulsification process was employed to create W/O/W emulsion globules.
- Emulsion ripening was utilized to modify globule morphology.
- Suspension polymerization was used to form solid microcapsules from single-core globules, employing a phase-separation mechanism to create nanochannels.
Main Results:
- A novel method successfully produced microcapsules with single hollow cavities and thickness-controllable shells.
- Parameters for controlling the morphology of W/O/W emulsion globules were identified.
- A universal strategy was established to convert multicore W/O globules into single-core templates.
- Phase separation during polymerization effectively created nanochannels within the microcapsule shells.
Conclusions:
- The developed two-step process offers a versatile approach to fabricating advanced microcapsules.
- The resulting microcapsules, featuring hollow interiors and nanochanneled shells, are suitable for microreactor applications.
- These microcapsules show significant potential for encapsulating bioactive materials due to their unique structure and properties.
