Issue 9, 2021

Microfluidic enhancement of self-assembly systems

Abstract

Dynamic, kinetically-controlled, self-assembly processes are commonly observed in nature and are capable of creating intricate, functional architectures from simple precursors. However, notably, much of the research into molecular self-assembly has been performed using conventional bulk techniques where the resultant species are dictated by thermodynamic stability to yield relatively simple assemblies. Whereas, the environmental control offered by microfluidic systems offers methods to achieve non-equilibrium reaction conditions capable of increasingly sophisticated self-assembled structures. Alterations to the immediate microenvironment during the assembly of the molecules is possible, providing the basis for kinetically-controlled assembly. This review examines the key mechanism offered by microfluidic systems and the architectures required to access them. The mechanisms include diffusion-led mixing, shear gradient alignment, spatial and temporal confinement, and structural templates in multiphase systems. The works are selected and categorised in terms of the microfluidic approaches taken rather than the chemical constructs which are formed.

Graphical abstract: Microfluidic enhancement of self-assembly systems

Article information

Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
18 ጃንዩ 2021
Accepted
09 ኤፕሪ 2021
First published
12 ኤፕሪ 2021

Lab Chip, 2021,21, 1661-1675

Microfluidic enhancement of self-assembly systems

D. Khoeini, T. F. Scott and A. Neild, Lab Chip, 2021, 21, 1661 DOI: 10.1039/D1LC00038A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements