Construction of core-shell microcapsules via focused surface acoustic wave microfluidics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Core-shell microcapsules are crucial for advanced delivery systems in nutrients, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
• Current methods for microcapsule fabrication can be complex and limited in structural control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel microfluidic approach for fabricating core-shell microcapsules.
• To explore the use of focused surface acoustic waves (FSAW) for precise microcapsule layer control.

Main Methods:

• Utilized focused surface acoustic wave (FSAW) microfluidics with focused interdigital transducers (FIDTs).
• Manipulated solid particles or liquid microdroplets using acoustic radiation force at oil/water interfaces.
• Fabricated single-layer, two-layer, and multi-layer core-shell microcapsules by adjusting FIDT configurations.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced core-shell microcapsules with solid or liquid cores.
• Demonstrated the ability to create multi-layered microcapsules by adding more FIDTs.
• Achieved selective fabrication of microcapsules with varying layer complexities.

Conclusions:

• FSAW microfluidics provides a robust and versatile platform for constructing diverse core-shell microcapsules.
• This technology has significant potential for developing next-generation delivery systems.
• The method is adaptable for creating complex microcapsule architectures for various applications.