Physics of Fluids - Publications

In-air microfluidics enables rapid fabrication of emulsions suspensions, and 3D modular (bio)materials

Open Access
Science Advances 4, 1–9 (2018)

Authors

	Claas-Willem Visser
	Tom Kamperman
	L.P. Karbaat
	Detlef Lohse
	Marcel Karperien

BibTeΧ

@article {Vissereaao1175,
	author = {Visser, Claas Willem and Kamperman, Tom and Karbaat, Lisanne P. and Lohse, Detlef and Karperien, Marcel},
	title = {In-air microfluidics enables rapid fabrication of emulsions, suspensions, and 3D modular (bio)materials},
	volume = {4},
	number = {1},
	year = {2018},
	doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aao1175},
	publisher = {American Association for the Advancement of Science},
	abstract = {Microfluidic chips provide unparalleled control over droplets and jets, which have advanced all natural sciences. However, microfluidic applications could be vastly expanded by increasing the per-channel throughput and directly exploiting the output of chips for rapid additive manufacturing. We unlock these features with in-air microfluidics, a new chip-free platform to manipulate microscale liquid streams in the air. By controlling the composition and in-air impact of liquid microjets by surface tension{\textendash}driven encapsulation, we fabricate monodisperse emulsions, particles, and fibers with diameters of 20 to 300 μm at rates that are 10 to 100 times higher than chip-based droplet microfluidics. Furthermore, in-air microfluidics uniquely enables module-based production of three-dimensional (3D) multiscale (bio)materials in one step because droplets are partially solidified in-flight and can immediately be printed onto a substrate. In-air microfluidics is cytocompatible, as demonstrated by additive manufacturing of 3D modular constructs with tailored microenvironments for multiple cell types. Its in-line control, high throughput and resolution, and cytocompatibility make in-air microfluidics a versatile platform technology for science, industry, and health care.},
	URL = {http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/1/eaao1175},
	eprint = {http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/1/eaao1175.full.pdf},
	journal = {Science Advances}
}