title: Bioinspired Multifunctional Spindle-Knotted Microfibers from Microfluidics.
abstract: Heterostructured microfibers with spindle-knots and joints are developed using a novel microfluidic technology, which enables integrative microfiber joint spinning, fluid coating, and knot emulsification. The knots emulsification process can be precisely tunable by adjusting the flow rates. In this way, the size and spacing of the spindle-knots of the microfibers can be achieved with high controllability. More attractively, the construction process benefits from the broad availability of the coating fluids, which determines the compositions of the knots. Thus, the resultant microfibers are imparted with distinctive functions, such as humidity-responsive water capture, thermally triggered water convergence, induced colloidal crystal assembly, and cell microcarrier arrays. These features make such microfibers highly versatile for use in diverse applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.|Laboratory of Environment and Biosafety, Research Institute of Southeast University in Suzhou, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Luoran
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.|Laboratory of Environment and Biosafety, Research Institute of Southeast University in Suzhou, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Fanfan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.|Laboratory of Environment and Biosafety, Research Institute of Southeast University in Suzhou, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.|Laboratory of Environment and Biosafety, Research Institute of Southeast University in Suzhou, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yunru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.|Laboratory of Environment and Biosafety, Research Institute of Southeast University in Suzhou, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.|Laboratory of Environment and Biosafety, Research Institute of Southeast University in Suzhou, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Zhongze
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.|Laboratory of Environment and Biosafety, Research Institute of Southeast University in Suzhou, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yuanjin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D003199:Computer Systems; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids
keywords: biomaterials; colloidal crystals; microfibers; microfluidics; wettability