Microfluidics assisted generation of innovative polysaccharide hydrogel microparticles

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Microfluidic devices offer versatile geometry for producing monodisperse polymeric microparticles.
• Conventional flow control technology has limitations that microfluidics can overcome.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce innovative polysaccharide hydrogel microparticles using a flow-focusing microfluidic device.
• To create Janus hydrogel microparticles (pectin-pectin and pectin-alginate) and complex-shaped pectin microparticles.
• To investigate the encapsulation and release of bovine serum albumin (BSA) within hetero Janus microparticles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a flow-focusing microfluidic device for emulsification.
• Employed confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) and enzymatic degradation to confirm Janus structure.
• Investigated on-chip gelation and off-chip droplet deformation for complex shapes.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced homo Janus (pectin-pectin) and hetero Janus (pectin-alginate) hydrogel microparticles.
• Confirmed Janus structure and analyzed BSA encapsulation and diffusion within hetero Janus particles.
• Created sphere, oblate ellipsoid, torus, and mushroom-type pectin microparticles with controlled morphologies.

Conclusions:

• Microfluidics enables the precise fabrication of advanced hydrogel microparticles with unique properties.
• Janus and complex-shaped microparticles show potential for controlled release applications and studying structure-property relationships.