Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flow
The use of ultrasound to generate mini-emulsions (50 nm to 1 μm in diameter) and nanoemulsions (mean droplet diameter < 200 nm) is of great relevance in drug delivery, particle synthesis and cosmetic and food industries. Therefore, it is desirable to develop new strategies to obtain new formulati...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Ultrasonics Sonochemistry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417721000985 |
| _version_ | 1818726577056251904 |
|---|---|
| author | Erick Nieves Giselle Vite Anna Kozina Luis F. Olguin |
| author_facet | Erick Nieves Giselle Vite Anna Kozina Luis F. Olguin |
| author_sort | Erick Nieves |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of ultrasound to generate mini-emulsions (50 nm to 1 μm in diameter) and nanoemulsions (mean droplet diameter < 200 nm) is of great relevance in drug delivery, particle synthesis and cosmetic and food industries. Therefore, it is desirable to develop new strategies to obtain new formulations faster and with less reagent consumption. Here, we present a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic device that generates oil-in-water or water-in-oil mini-emulsions in continuous flow employing ultrasound as the driving force. A Langevin piezoelectric attached to the same glass slide as the microdevice provides enough power to create mini-emulsions in a single cycle and without reagents pre-homogenization. By introducing independently four different fluids into the microfluidic platform, it is possible to gradually modify the composition of oil, water and two different surfactants, to determine the most favorable formulation for minimizing droplet diameter and polydispersity, employing less than 500 µL of reagents. It was found that cavitation bubbles are the most important mechanism underlying emulsions formation in the microchannels and that degassing of the aqueous phase before its introduction to the device can be an important factor for reduction of droplet polydispersity. This idea is demonstrated by synthetizing solid polymeric particles with a narrow size distribution starting from a mini-emulsion produced by the device. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T22:00:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92f840f053084be5b889dcaab36434e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1350-4177 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T22:00:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ultrasonics Sonochemistry |
| spelling | doaj.art-92f840f053084be5b889dcaab36434e12022-12-21T21:31:00ZengElsevierUltrasonics Sonochemistry1350-41772021-06-0174105556Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flowErick Nieves0Giselle Vite1Anna Kozina2Luis F. Olguin3Laboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, MexicoInstituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, P. O. Box 70-213, Mexico City, MexicoInstituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, P. O. Box 70-213, Mexico City, MexicoLaboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico; Corresponding author.The use of ultrasound to generate mini-emulsions (50 nm to 1 μm in diameter) and nanoemulsions (mean droplet diameter < 200 nm) is of great relevance in drug delivery, particle synthesis and cosmetic and food industries. Therefore, it is desirable to develop new strategies to obtain new formulations faster and with less reagent consumption. Here, we present a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic device that generates oil-in-water or water-in-oil mini-emulsions in continuous flow employing ultrasound as the driving force. A Langevin piezoelectric attached to the same glass slide as the microdevice provides enough power to create mini-emulsions in a single cycle and without reagents pre-homogenization. By introducing independently four different fluids into the microfluidic platform, it is possible to gradually modify the composition of oil, water and two different surfactants, to determine the most favorable formulation for minimizing droplet diameter and polydispersity, employing less than 500 µL of reagents. It was found that cavitation bubbles are the most important mechanism underlying emulsions formation in the microchannels and that degassing of the aqueous phase before its introduction to the device can be an important factor for reduction of droplet polydispersity. This idea is demonstrated by synthetizing solid polymeric particles with a narrow size distribution starting from a mini-emulsion produced by the device.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417721000985Ultrasonic emulsificationW/o and o/w emulsionsMicrofluidicsIn-line emulsificationPolymeric particles synthesisHigh-power ultrasound |
| spellingShingle | Erick Nieves Giselle Vite Anna Kozina Luis F. Olguin Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flow Ultrasonics Sonochemistry Ultrasonic emulsification W/o and o/w emulsions Microfluidics In-line emulsification Polymeric particles synthesis High-power ultrasound |
| title | Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flow |
| title_full | Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flow |
| title_fullStr | Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flow |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flow |
| title_short | Ultrasound-assisted production and optimization of mini-emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous-flow |
| title_sort | ultrasound assisted production and optimization of mini emulsions in a microfluidic chip in continuous flow |
| topic | Ultrasonic emulsification W/o and o/w emulsions Microfluidics In-line emulsification Polymeric particles synthesis High-power ultrasound |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417721000985 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ericknieves ultrasoundassistedproductionandoptimizationofminiemulsionsinamicrofluidicchipincontinuousflow AT gisellevite ultrasoundassistedproductionandoptimizationofminiemulsionsinamicrofluidicchipincontinuousflow AT annakozina ultrasoundassistedproductionandoptimizationofminiemulsionsinamicrofluidicchipincontinuousflow AT luisfolguin ultrasoundassistedproductionandoptimizationofminiemulsionsinamicrofluidicchipincontinuousflow |