Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Creating Sub-50 Nm Nanofluidic Junctions in PDMS Microfluidic Chip via Self-Assembly Process of Colloidal Particles
Published on: March 13, 2016
Droplet microfluidics, colloidal assembly and nanoscale processing: Synergistic control and properties of
Yuandu Hu1, Arezoo Ardekani2, Jintao Zhu3
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Technique and Equipment for Macromolecular Advanced Manufacturing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
This review explores colloidal photonic microobjects fabricated using microfluidics and post-processing. These tunable photonic crystals offer diverse microstructures and tunable properties for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Photonics
Background:
- Colloidal photonic crystals are highly sought after for their diverse applications.
- Microfluidic devices enable precise control over the composition, geometry, and functionality of photonic microobjects.
- These microobjects can be engineered with tunable properties using various colloidal building blocks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the fabrication of colloidal photonic microobjects using microfluidics and post-processing techniques.
- To summarize the diverse microstructures and tunable properties achievable.
- To discuss challenges and future trends in this field.
Main Methods:
- Droplet-based microfluidics for precise fabrication of colloidal templates.
- Post-processing strategies including solvent evaporation, external field assembly, sputter coating, and etching.
- Utilizing inert or responsive colloidal building blocks for tunable properties.
Main Results:
- Diverse microstructures and tunable photonic performances in sub-microscale objects.
- Potential for organization into bulk applications.
- Demonstration of controlled fabrication of functional photonic microobjects.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidics combined with post-processing offers a versatile platform for creating advanced colloidal photonic microobjects.
- Further research is needed to address current challenges and explore emerging applications.
- Identifying scientific questions and engineering limitations is crucial for future development.
