Superstability of micrometre jets surrounded by a polymeric shell.

Area of Science:

• Fluid dynamics
• Materials science
• Biophysical techniques

Background:

• Achieving stable liquid microjets is crucial for various scientific applications, including serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography.
• Traditional microjet techniques often require high flow rates, limiting jet dimensions and stability.
• Developing novel methods for generating stable microjets is an ongoing area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce superstable compound liquid microjets.
• To investigate the stabilizing effect of a polymeric shell on liquid microjets.
• To explore potential applications in serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D-printed coaxial flow-focusing injector.
• Generation of compound liquid microjets with an aqueous core and a thin polymeric shell.
• Characterization of jet stability and dimensions at reduced flow rates.

Main Results:

• Superstable compound liquid microjets were successfully produced.
• A thin polymeric shell (hundreds of nanometers) significantly enhanced jet stability.
• The minimum flow rate for stable flow-focusing was reduced by an order of magnitude.
• Thinner and longer jets were achieved compared to conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• 3D-printed coaxial injectors enable the production of highly stable compound liquid microjets.
• Polymeric shells are effective in stabilizing liquid microjets, allowing for reduced flow rates.
• This technique offers a promising advancement for applications requiring stable microjets, such as serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography.