title: Dynamic Rotating Liquid Marble for Directional and Enhanced Mass Transportation in Three-Dimensional Microliter Droplets.
abstract: The ability of an artificial microdroplet to mimic the rotational behaviors of living systems is crucial for dynamic mass transportation but remains challenging to date. Herein, we report dynamic microdroplet rotation using a liquid marble (RLM) and achieve precise control over mass transportation and distribution in a three-dimensional (3D) microdroplet. RLM rotates synchronously with an external magnetic field, creating circular hydrodynamic flow and an outward centrifugal force. Such spin-induced phenomena direct a spiral movement of entrapped molecules and accelerate their diffusion and homogenization in the entire liquid. Moreover, we demonstrate the rotation rate-controlled (between 0 and 1300 rpm) modulation of shell-catalyzed reaction kinetics from 0.13 to 0.62 min-1. The directed acceleration of reactants toward a catalytically active shell surface is 3-fold faster than conventional stir bar-based convective flow. RLM as an efficient magnetohydrodynamics transducer will be valuable for dynamical control over mass transportation in microdroplet-based chemical, biological, and biomedical studies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore 637371, Singapore.
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore 637371, Singapore.|Institute of Materials Research and Engineering , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis way, Innovis, #08-03, Singapore 138634, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hiang Kwee
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore 637371, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yih Hong
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1869-5835
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore 637371, Singapore.
authors.forename: Xing Yi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5495-6428
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ling