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Functional Microcapsules via Thiol-Ene Photopolymerization in Droplet-Based Microfluidics
Douglas V Amato1, Hyomin Lee2, Jörg G Werner2
1School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, University of Southern Mississippi , 118 College Drive, Number 5050, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|January 19, 2017
Summary
Thiol-ene chemistry in microfluidics enables advanced microcapsule fabrication with tunable properties. This method optimizes cargo retention and allows rapid production of microparticles using photopolymerization.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Microfluidics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Thiol-ene chemistry offers efficient click reactions for polymer synthesis.
- Microfluidics provides precise control over microscale material fabrication.
- Advanced microcapsules are crucial for controlled delivery and material science applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To exploit thiol-ene chemistry in microfluidics for advanced microcapsule fabrication.
- To investigate the impact of cross-link density on cargo retention in microcapsules.
- To demonstrate rapid microparticle production using continuous flow photopatterning.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing droplet-based microfluidics for microcapsule synthesis.
- Employing thiol-ene photopolymerization to control cross-link density.
- Fabricating hemispherical microparticles in a continuous flow photopatterning device.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated microcapsules with tunable encapsulation, degradation, and thermal properties.
- Demonstrated the critical role of monomer conversion in omniphilic cargo retention.
- Highlighted the rapid cure kinetics of thiol-ene chemistry for efficient microparticle production.
Conclusions:
- Thiol-ene chemistry is a versatile tool for advanced microcapsule and microparticle fabrication in microfluidics.
- Controlling cross-link density via monomer conversion is key for effective cargo encapsulation.
- The rapid kinetics enable high-throughput production of functional microstructures.
