Sonication-microfluidics for fabrication of nanoparticle-stabilized microbubbles

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Microbubbles are essential for various applications, including drug delivery and imaging.
• Conventional methods for microbubble fabrication often face limitations in scalability and efficiency.
• Nanoparticle stabilization is crucial for microbubble longevity and functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a continuous flow method for fabricating nanoparticle-coated microbubbles using sonication-microfluidics.
• To investigate the advantages of this new approach over conventional sonication techniques.
• To optimize the production of microbubbles with controlled size and reduced nanoparticle consumption.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a microfluidic device to generate gas-in-liquid slug flow.
• Applying ultrasound to induce cavitation at the gas-liquid interface for microbubble formation.
• Stabilizing the microbubbles with nanoparticles present in the liquid phase.
• Controlling gas and liquid flow rate ratios for process optimization.

Main Results:

• Achieved continuous production of microbubbles with unlimited gas nuclei availability.
• Demonstrated shorter residence times and continuous foam production.
• Reported higher production volumes and smaller microbubble sizes.
• Showcased reduced waste of nanoparticles required for stabilization.

Conclusions:

• The sonication-microfluidics approach provides an efficient and scalable method for nanoparticle-coated microbubble fabrication.
• This technique overcomes limitations of conventional methods, offering better control and resource utilization.
• The continuous flow system enables enhanced production of high-quality microbubbles for diverse applications.