title: Microfluidic assembly of homogeneous and Janus colloid-filled hydrogel granules.
abstract: The microfluidic assembly of colloid-filled hydrogel granules of varying shape and composition is described. First, drops are formed by shearing a concentrated colloidal microsphere-acrylamide suspension in a continuous oil phase using a sheath-flow device. Both homogeneous and Janus (hemispherically distinct) spheres and disks are produced by confining the assembled drops in microchannels of varying geometry. Next, photopolymerization is carried out shortly after drop breakup to preserve their morphology. Representative wet and dried granules are characterized using fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Our approach offers a facile route for assembling colloid-filled hydrogel granules with controlled shape and composition.
authors.affiliation: Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: Jacinta C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: Summer K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Darren R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marquez
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate