Issue 21, 2024

Microfluidic antisolvent crystallization for chiral symmetry breaking

Abstract

We report on the use of a microfluidic antisolvent crystallization method to investigate the effect of solution volume on the chiral symmetry breaking (CSB) phenomena of enantiomeric sodium chlorate crystals. The utilization of a microfluidic device is capable of periodically producing emulsion droplets of uniform size and facilitates the quantitative analysis and visualization of crystallization phenomena occurring within the individual emulsions immersed in an oil continuous medium (i.e., dodecane). To promote nucleation and crystallization, a small amount of an antisolvent (i.e., ethanol) is introduced into the continuous phase. We observe that 100% CSB occurs within a certain critical emulsion volume. Beyond this critical volume, the probability of forming two different enantiomeric crystal particles increases. This solution volume-dependent CSB phenomenon can be attributed to the rapid depletion of surrounding molecules by spontaneous crystal growth after the formation of the initial nucleus within the critical volume, thereby suppressing further primary nucleation.

Graphical abstract: Microfluidic antisolvent crystallization for chiral symmetry breaking

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Aug 2024
Accepted
28 Sep 2024
First published
30 Sep 2024

Lab Chip, 2024,24, 5055-5064

Microfluidic antisolvent crystallization for chiral symmetry breaking

J. Jang, G. Coquerel, T. S. Seo, W. Kim and B. J. Park, Lab Chip, 2024, 24, 5055 DOI: 10.1039/D4LC00658E

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