Compartmentalized Microhelices Prepared via Electrohydrodynamic Cojetting.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Microfluidics and Microfabrication

Background:

• Anisotropically compartmentalized microparticles are gaining attention for diverse applications including sensing, drug delivery, catalysis, and microactuators.
• Existing methods for creating complex microstructures often lack simplicity or scalability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a facile method for preparing helically decorated microbuilding blocks.
• To explore the novel functions arising from the unique helical structure of these microparticles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a modified electrohydrodynamic cojetting technique to produce bicompartmental microfibers.
• Achieved in-situ twisting of microfibers during electrojetting to form helical structures.
• Employed cryosectioning of aligned fiber bundles and interfacially driven shape shifting to obtain final microstructures.

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared helical microfibers and microcylinders with anisotropic compartmentalization.
• Demonstrated novel functions, including translational motion of microfibers/microcylinders in response to rotating magnetic fields.
• Obtained microspheres with helically patterned compartments through shape transformation.

Conclusions:

• The modified electrohydrodynamic cojetting method provides a straightforward route to novel helical microstructures.
• The helical architecture imparts unique responsive behaviors, particularly magnetic field-induced motion.
• These helically decorated microbuilding blocks hold significant potential for advanced micro-device applications.