Passive microfluidic-based core-shell drug delivery: a fluid mechanics-centric review

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Microfluidics
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Core-shell microparticles are crucial for drug delivery, offering encapsulation, controlled release, and enhanced stability.
• Conventional synthesis methods struggle with achieving uniform particle size and shell thickness, limiting their application.
• Microfluidic techniques present a promising alternative for precise and reproducible microparticle fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review passive microfluidic techniques for producing core-shell microparticles.
• To analyze key parameters influencing microparticle formation, including phase properties, flow characteristics, and chip geometries.
• To provide a framework for optimizing microfluidic systems for drug delivery applications.

Main Methods:

• Compilation and analysis of existing studies on passive microfluidic techniques for core-shell microparticle synthesis.
• Focus on hydrodynamic parameters (flow rate, viscosity, interfacial tension) and their effect on droplet formation.
• Evaluation of various microfluidic chip geometries for optimizing particle size and morphology.

Main Results:

• Passive microfluidics enables precise control over droplet generation for core-shell microparticle production.
• Hydrodynamic parameters and chip design significantly influence particle size, shell thickness, and morphology.
• A comprehensive analytical framework for process optimization has been developed.

Conclusions:

• Passive microfluidic techniques are highly effective for producing monodisperse core-shell microparticles with controlled dimensions.
• Understanding the interplay of physical properties, flow dynamics, and chip geometry is key to optimizing production.
• This review provides guidance for developing advanced microfluidic systems for efficient drug delivery and biomedical applications.