Issue 12, 2021

From shaping to functionalization of micro-droplets and particles

Abstract

The structure of microdroplet and microparticle is a critical factor in their functionality, which determines the distribution and sequence of physicochemical reactions. Therefore, the technology of precisely tailoring their shape is requisite for implementing the user demand functions in various applications. This review highlights various methodologies for droplet shaping, classified into passive and active approaches based on whether additional body forces are applied to droplets to manipulate their functions and fabricate them into microparticles. The passive approaches cover batch emulsification, solvent evaporation and diffusion, micromolding, and microfluidic methods. In active approaches, the external forces, such as electrical and magnetic fields or optical lithography, are applied to microdroplets. Special attention is also given to latest technologies using microdroplets and microparticles, especially in the fields of biological, optical, robotic, and environmental applications. Finally, this review aims to address the advantages and disadvantages of the introduced approaches and suggests the direction for further development in this field.

Graphical abstract: From shaping to functionalization of micro-droplets and particles

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
15 apr 2021
Accepted
10 may 2021
First published
26 may 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale Adv., 2021,3, 3395-3416

From shaping to functionalization of micro-droplets and particles

R. Song, S. Cho, S. Shin, H. Kim and J. Lee, Nanoscale Adv., 2021, 3, 3395 DOI: 10.1039/D1NA00276G

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