Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mirian E. Casco, Sven Gratz, Dirk Wallacher, Nico Grimm, Daniel M. Tobbens, Malina Bilo, Natascha Speil, Michael Froba, Lars Borchardt
Summary: The study investigated methane hydrate formation process in confinement through high-pressure methane sorption experiments on two wet materials with similar pore size distributions, B-PMO (hydrophobic) and MCM-41 (hydrophilic). The results showed that external water and 'core water' inside the pore were rapidly consumed in the first step to form bulk-like hydrate, while adsorbed water was slowly consumed in the second step to form less stable confined hydrates.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jia Zhang, Wenhua Xu, Fengying Xu, Wangwang Lu, Liuyun Hu, Jianlin Zhou, Chen Zhang, Zhuo Jiang
Summary: Droplet microfluidics using 3D printing technology to fabricate microfluidic devices show great potential in food emulsion processing, enabling efficient generation of single emulsions and double emulsions with stability and high quality.
JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Xuelian Jing, Bifen Chen, Tongxun Liu, Yongjian Cai, Qiangzhong Zhao, Xinlun Deng, Mouming Zhao
Summary: Hydrophobically modified insoluble soybean peptide aggregates can stabilize the oil-water interface and form stable Pickering emulsion gels, with potential applications in the food industry.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jeong-Won Lee, Kihwan Kim, Giwon Ryoo, Jisu Kim, Jeyaraj Vinoth Kumar, Woonbong Hwang
Summary: A new SHPo/SHPi patterning method for three-dimensional objects using aluminum was proposed in this study, achieving successful realization of patterned surfaces with contact angles of 10 degrees for SHPi surface and 160 degrees for SHPo surface. This method enables patterning even in areas that laser light cannot reach, expanding the application scope of SHPo/SHPi surface patterning technique.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xi Li, Gong Zhang, Huijuan Liu, Huachun Lan, Jiuhui Qu
Summary: This work presents a 3H trilayer membrane that efficiently breaks oil-in-water emulsions with high permeability. The hydrophobic-hydrophilic-hydrophobic (3H) structure allows for the capture, coalescence, and discharge of oil droplets, resulting in a demulsification efficiency of over 98.0% and a permeability of 2.1 x 10(4) L m(-2) h(-1). The 3H membrane maintains its high demulsification efficiency across a wide range of surfactant concentrations, making it highly applicable for oil recovery.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mingru Li, Huan Niu, Kai Shang, Yafang Gao, Bingnan Li, Liuhao Jiang, Zhonghua Zhao, Xinyu Li, Shihang Wang, Yang Feng, Shengtao Li
Summary: This study investigates the influence mechanism of polar groups on hydrophobicity by modifying the surface polar moieties of epoxy resin. The results show that even with a significant increase in polar groups, the modified epoxy resin surface remains hydrophobic. By calculating absorption parameters using molecular simulations, the study reveals the controlling factors of wetting properties on solid surfaces and clarifies the nonlinear relationship between polar groups and hydrophilicity.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaomin Xie, Jingfan Yan, Qiong Wu, Tianyu Wang, Fumin Chu, Sen Yang
Summary: Inspired by the Namib Desert beetle, we designed and fabricated hydrophobic porous polystyrene microspheres with different wetting properties. These microspheres, synthesized using a unique emulsion method, can separate different types of emulsions and efficiently remove pollutants. Additionally, they have a high recycling rate and can be used repeatedly.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Razieh Beigmoradi, Abdolreza Samimi, Davod Mohebbi-Kalhori
Summary: The controllability of morphology and wettability behavior of polysulfone electrospun nanofiber mats (ENMs) was investigated by adding surfactants, which affected the diameter size, hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity, surface roughness, and chemical composition of the ENMs. Different types of surfactants had varying effects on the properties of the nanofiber mats, with changes observed in contact angle, surface roughness, and diameter.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Chandler A. Warr, Hunter S. Hinnen, Saroya Avery, Rebecca J. Cate, Gregory P. Nordin, William G. Pitt
Summary: This study investigated two approaches to successfully form droplets in 3D-printed microfluidic devices: using hydrophobic resins and a unique annular channel-in-channel geometry. These approaches prevent water-in-oil droplets from sticking to the interior surfaces of the droplet generator and enable stable droplet formation.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Muqian Li, Jingpeng Hao, Haoyu Bai, Xinsheng Wang, Zhe Li, Moyuan Cao
Summary: The hydrophilic/hydrophobic cooperative interface provides a smart platform for controlling liquid distribution and delivery. By combining flexibility and complex structure, a manipulable, open, and dual-layered liquid channel (MODLC) has been developed for on-demand mechanical control of fluid delivery. The MODLC features a mechano-controllable asymmetric channel driven by anisotropic Laplace pressure, enabling directional slipping of liquid between paired tracks. Various liquid-manipulating processes, such as remote droplet magneto-control, continuous liquid distributor, and gas-producing chip, have been achieved on hierarchical MODLC chips.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jingyu Wu, David A. Issadore, Daeyeon Lee
Summary: Controlling surface wetting properties of microfluidic channels is essential for reliable performance. Current patterning methods have limited spatial resolution, making them impractical. In this study, a replica mold fabrication technique inspired by soft lithography was developed to transfer channel geometry and surface wettability from a silicon wafer mold to a co-polymer network replica. This technique was successfully demonstrated in the fabrication of a PFPE-PEG-based microfluidic chip with patterned microchannels for double emulsion generation.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ampol Kamnerdsook, Ekachai Juntasaro, Numfon Khemthongcharoen, Mayuree Chanasakulniyom, Witsaroot Sripumkhai, Pattaraluck Pattamang, Chamras Promptmas, Nithi Atthi, Wutthinan Jeamsaksiri
Summary: This paper presents a surface modification method for preparing PDMS microfluidic devices with partially hydrophilic-hydrophobic surfaces to generate double emulsion droplets, achieving high encapsulation efficiency. The key component is a permanent chemical coating using Pluronic surfactant, allowing the surface property of PDMS to be modified.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiangyu Li, Ye Tian, Panpan Zhang, Na Liu, Huajun Zhai, Jiujiang Ji, Shuaiheng Zhao, Yue Liu, Dake Xu, Fuhui Wang, Yen Wei, Lin Feng
Summary: A bio-inspired lotus-petiole-mimetic microstructured graphene/poly(N-acryloyl glycinamide) solar evaporator is developed, achieving high evaporation rates and energy conversion efficiency using accurate control of supramolecular interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into water evaporation behaviors, and the evaporator shows excellent performance in purifying complex contaminants in wastewater.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Zehira Belamri, Leila Boumaza, Smail Boudjadar
Summary: In this study, a ZnO thin film coating on an aluminum substrate was investigated. Zn thin layers were electroplated and thermally oxidized to synthesize the ZnO thin films. The samples were characterized using various techniques and it was found that the films showed different morphologies and surface roughness depending on the annealing time. The synthesized films exhibited both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces, with the sample annealed for 2 hours at 500°C showing the highest contact angle.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ana Kramar, Javier Gonzalez-Benito
Summary: In this study, cellulose acetate materials were prepared using the SBS method, and the solvent system and SBS processing parameters were used to control the thermal properties, crystallinity, and morphology of the materials. The roughness and porosity of the materials influenced the contact angle, and a double-layered film with dual wettability was obtained.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yue Li, Max J. Maennel, Nicolas Hauck, Himanshu P. Patel, Guenter K. Auernhammer, Soosang Chae, Andreas Fery, Junbai Li, Julian Thiele
Summary: A simple and precisely controllable method for fabricating dipeptide-based hydrogels through supramolecular assembly inside microfluidic channels is presented in this study. Microfluidically controlled hydrogelation leads to a tailored dipeptide hydrogel with specific material morphology and nanoparticle distribution.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Dimitri Eigel, Romy Schuster, Max J. Maennel, Julian Thiele, Martyna J. Panasiuk, Laura C. Andreae, Carmine Varricchio, Andrea Brancale, Petra B. Welzel, Wieland B. Huttner, Carsten Werner, Ben Newland, Katherine R. Long
Summary: The lack of tools for precise manipulation of specific areas in human brain tissue culture has limited the study of cellular disease mechanisms, but the use of cryogels offers a user-friendly and reproducible approach for more complex manipulations.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Max J. Mannel, Elif Baysak, Julian Thiele
Summary: Droplet microfluidics has revolutionized high-throughput screening, directed evolution, single-cell sequencing, and material design. Traditional fabrication techniques have drawbacks, but high-resolution additive manufacturing like PμSL offers a promising solution. PμSL simplifies device fabrication, provides access to 3D geometries, is cost-effective, and enables multimaterial processing.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Niclas Weigel, Max J. Maennel, Julian Thiele
Summary: The study focuses on developing resins for high-resolution additive manufacturing of flexible micromaterials through projection micro-stereolithography (P mu SL). The best-candidate resin allows for 3D-printing transparent microchannels with a minimum cross section and exhibits proper solvent resistance. The mechanical properties are suitable for 3D-printing microfluidic devices with integrated functional units, expanding the library of functional resins for P mu SL printing towards flexible materials with micrometer resolution.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
David Rettke, Christian Danneberg, Talika Alina Neuendorf, Sebastian Kuehn, Jens Friedrichs, Nicolas Hauck, Carsten Werner, Julian Thiele, Tilo Pompe
Summary: The soft colloidal probe (SCP) assay is a versatile sensing principle that utilizes micrometer-sized hydrogel particles as optomechanical transducer elements. In this study, SCPs were synthesized, optimized, and conjugated for integration into a microinterferometric optomechanical biosensor platform. The SCPs were prepared using droplet-based microfluidics and characterized for their functional groups, morphology, and mechanical properties. The newly developed SCPs showed promising sensing capabilities for biotin detection.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Elena Stengelin, Julian Thiele, Sebastian Seiffert
Summary: Finding suitable substitutes for animal testing is a significant challenge of this time, with microtissue-based in vitro model systems being a valuable approach that requires continual improvement. The development of multifunctional, hydrogel-based materials needs to consider processability, adaptivity, biocompatibility, and stability/degradability.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Niclas Weigel, Yue Li, Andreas Fery, Julian Thiele
Summary: Over the past two decades, microfluidics has played a significant role in the design and fabrication of nano-, micro-, and mesoscale materials such as nanoparticles, micelles, vesicles, emulsion droplets, and microgels. Microfluidics offers precise control over material parameters and has contributed to understanding the early stages of material design, nucleation, and growth processes. Recent advancements in microfluidic techniques have expanded hydrogel design to incorporate multiple functions and produce hierarchical structures, enabling applications in sensing, 3D bioprinting, continuous fabrication, and shaping via microchannels.
CURRENT OPINION IN COLLOID & INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Niclas Weigel, Evgeny Grigoryev, Nicole Fertala, Julian Thiele
Summary: This work utilizes an aspiration-based process involving a hole-bearing glass plate to align and interconnect microgels and creates mechanically stable, freestanding microgel constructs. Segmentation control of the aspiration process enables the formation of multimaterial sheets consisting of different microgel species. This research is a crucial step towards fabricating hydrogel-based materials with spatially controlled functionality.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Evgeny Grigoryev, Nikolai Liubimtsev, Talika A. Neuendorf, Michelle Vigogne, Julian Thiele
Summary: A facile method for reversible interparticle cross-linking of vinylimidazole-based hydrogel cubes based on transition metal complexation is presented. By swelling preassembled hydrogels inside aqueous solutions of Zn2+, Cu2+ or Fe2+ ions, interparticle connectivity-and, exemplarily, electrical conductivity in case of Cu2+ ions-is achieved. These supragels resist mechanical forces, but can be quantitatively disassembled into single building blocks by ligand exchange.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Michelle Vigogne, Talika A. Neuendorf, Ricardo Bernhardt, Julian Thiele
Summary: With the rise of particle-based material systems in recent years, high-throughput microfluidics has become an interesting method for large-scale production of tailored emulsions and microparticles. In this study, a microfluidic system that combines parallelized droplet formation with sequential droplet splitting via projection-microstereolithography is presented. The system is capable of fabricating water-in-oil emulsions and polymer microparticles, and has been evaluated for different orientations to the 3D printing direction. The platform provides a straightforward and time-efficient path toward microgel production.
JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Anika Kaufmann, Michelle Vigogne, Talika A. Neuendorf, Maria Reverte-Lopez, German Rivas, Julian Thiele
Summary: In this study, microfluidically fabricated polymer microgels were used as an experimental platform to analyze protein-DNA interactions that regulate bacterial cell division. By controlling the charge and permeability of the microgels, the researchers successfully mimicked the bacterial nucleoid and studied the binding and diffusion of proteins. These approaches provide attractive tools for reconstructing essential cellular processes in a more realistic intracellular environment.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Nicolas Hauck, Timon Beck, Gheorghe Cojoc, Raimund Schlussler, Saeed Ahmed, Ivan Raguzin, Martin Mayer, Jonas Schubert, Paul Muller, Jochen Guck, Julian Thiele
Summary: Stretching individual living cells with light is a common method for evaluating their mechanical properties. However, the heat generated by the laser light used in optical stretchers can unintentionally alter the cells' mechanical properties. To address this issue, researchers have developed cell-sized elastic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) microgels that can indicate temperature changes through hydrogel swelling. By analyzing the effects of different gelation methods on the microgel network heterogeneity, micromechanics, and temperature response, the researchers have enhanced the use of standardized microgels for calibrating and validating cell mechanics analysis.
MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Talika A. Neuendorf, Niclas Weigel, Michelle Vigogne, Julian Thiele
Summary: Stimuli-responsive hydrogels have great application potential in designing smart 4D materials. Through controlled assembly and inter-crosslinking mechanisms, multi-responsive polymer parts with high stability can be fabricated.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Nicolas Hauck, Talika A. Neuendorf, Max J. Maennel, Lucas Vogel, Ping Liu, Enno Stuendel, Yixin Zhang, Julian Thiele
Summary: Microscopic hydrogels, also known as microgels, have wide applications in life and materials science. Droplet microfluidics is an established technique for producing uniform microgels, but challenges arise when processing highly reactive polymer precursors. To address this, microflow cells with integrated electrodes are used for fast addition and mixing of hydrogel precursors via emulsion droplet coalescence. This method allows for processing hydrogel systems that are difficult to handle with conventional droplet microfluidics, leading to the fabrication of microgels with uniform shape and composition.
