Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2025
12:55
Millifluidics for Chemical Synthesis and Time-resolved Mechanistic Studies
Published on: November 27, 2013
11.2K
A microfluidic platform for the controlled synthesis of architecturally complex liquid crystalline nanoparticles
Colin P Pilkington1,2, Claudia Contini3, Joseph D Barritt4
1Department of Chemistry, Molecular Science Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK. cpp19@ic.ac.uk.
Scientific Reports
|August 4, 2023
Summary
We developed a microfluidic method for scalable production of advanced soft-matter nanoparticles called lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) nanoparticles. This technology enables control over particle size, unlocking new potential for therapeutic delivery and biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology and Nanomedicine
- Materials Science and Engineering
Background:
- Soft-matter nanoparticles offer significant potential in biotechnology, drug delivery, and imaging due to their biocompatibility and functionalizability.
- Current applications are limited to simple structures like lipid nanoparticles, as methods for synthesizing complex soft-matter particles are lacking.
- Morphological diversity in soft particles can enhance functionality, but remains largely unexplored in industrial and clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable and controllable method for producing complex soft-matter nanoparticles.
- To investigate the potential of lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) nanoparticles as advanced nano-carriers.
- To explore the influence of LLC nanoparticle size on their interaction with cell membranes.
Main Methods:
- Designed and implemented a microfluidic hydrodynamic focusing (MHF) technology for continuous nanoparticle production.
- Synthesized lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) nanoparticles, including cubosomes and hexosomes, with controlled size.
- Conducted a fusogenic study using model cell membranes to assess the impact of nanoparticle diameter on fusion.
Main Results:
- Achieved scalable, rapid, and continuous production of LLC nanoparticles using MHF technology.
- Demonstrated precise control over LLC nanoparticle size, a key advantage over existing methods.
- Observed a clear dependency of membrane fusion on LLC nanoparticle diameter in model systems.
Conclusions:
- The developed MHF platform offers a novel approach for the controllable synthesis of non-lamellar soft nanoparticles.
- This technology facilitates the rapid prototyping of LLC particles with diverse functionalities for potential industrial applications.
- Precise size control of LLC nanoparticles is crucial for optimizing their interaction and fusion with biological membranes, paving the way for next-generation nano-carriers.
