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Microfluidic platforms: a mainstream technology for the preparation of crystals
1Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus Universitari de Bellaterra, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain. jpuigmarti@icmab.es.
Chemical Society Reviews
|December 17, 2013
Summary
Microfluidics offers unique control over fluid dynamics for crystallization studies. This review explores various microfluidic techniques, including continuous flow and droplet-based methods, for enhanced material crystallization.
Area of Science:
- Multidisciplinary science focusing on fluid manipulation in sub-millimeter dimensions.
Background:
- Microfluidic physics differs significantly from macroscale phenomena, offering unique conditions for crystallization.
- Enhanced control over diffusion, mixing, and mass/heat transport makes microfluidics ideal for crystallization studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of distinct microfluidic approaches for crystallization studies.
- To introduce uninitiated readers to microfluidic techniques for material crystallization.
Main Methods:
- Focus on microfluidic platforms operating under continuous flow regimes.
- Exploration of droplet-based methods, valve-based approaches, and well-based systems.
- Inclusion of digital microfluidics as a distinct approach.
Main Results:
- Illustrative examples demonstrate the unique features of microfluidic technologies for crystallization.
- Microfluidics enables fine modulation of transport phenomena crucial for crystal growth.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic technologies offer powerful and versatile tools for studying diverse crystallization processes.
- Applications span the crystallization of organic, inorganic, and metal-organic materials.
