Microfluidic Reactors for Polymer Particles

The book will contain two parts: the review of microfluidic devices and the methods used for controlled preparation of droplets and bubbles. the description of physical and chemical methods for solidification of such prepared droplets in situ on microfluidic chips.
In the first part, the general aspects of microfluidics will be reviewed, the fabrication methods used for the production of microfluidic devices, and the applications of microfluidics. In particular, the focus will be on the physics of formation of droplets in microfluidics and the devices used for emulsification. In the second part, different polymerization and fabrication processes will be reviewed that are used for solidification of droplets and hence continuous production of particles. The methods for production of solid and soft particles with different compositions, shapes and morphologies and their potential applications will also be presented.

Spis treści:
Preface.
1 Applications of Polymer Particles.
References.
2 Methods for the Generation of Polymer Particles.
2.1 Conventional Methods Used for Producing Polymer Particles.
2.2 Microfluidic Generation of Polymer Particles.
References.
3 Introduction to Microfluidics.
3.1 Microfluidics.
3.2 Droplet Microfluidics.
References.
4 Physics of Microfluidic Emulsification.
4.1 Energy of the Interfaces Between Immiscible Fluids.
4.2 Surfactants.
4.3 Interfacial Tension.
4.4 Laplace Pressure.
4.5 Rayleigh–Plateau Instability.
4.6 Wetting of a Solid Surface.
4.7 Analysis of Flow.
4.8 Flow in Networks of Microchannels.
4.9 Dimensional Groups.
References.
5 Formation of Droplets in Microfluidic Systems.
5.1 Introduction.
5.2 Microfluidic Generators of Droplets and Bubbles.
5.3 T–Junction.
5.4 Formation of Droplets and Bubbles in Microfluidic Flow–Focusing Devices.
5.5 Pract ical Guidelines for the Use of Microfluidic Devices for Formation of Droplets.
5.6 Designing Droplets.
5.7 Conclusions.
References.
6 High–Throughput Microfluidic Systems for Formation of Droplets.
6.1 Introduction.
6.2 Effects that Modify the Pressure Distribution.
6.3 Hydrodynamic Coupling.
6.4 Integrated Systems.
6.5 Parallel Formation of Droplets of Distinct Properties.
6.6 Conclusions.
References.
7 Synthesis of Polymer Particles in Microfluidic Reactors.
7.1 Introduction.
7.2 Particles Synthesized by Free–Radical Polymerization.
7.3 Polymer Particles Synthesized by Polycondensation.
7.4 Combination of Free–Radical Polymerization and Polycondensation Reactions.
7.5 General Considerations on the Use of Other Polymerization Mechanisms.
7.6 Important Aspects of Microfluidic Polymerization of Polymer Particles.
7.7 Synthesis of Composite Particles.
References.
8 Microfluidic Production of Hydrogel Particles.
8.1 Introduction.
8.2 Methods Used for the Production of Polymer Microgels.
8.3 Microfluidic Synthesis and Assembly of Polymer Microgels.
8.4 Microfluidic Encapsulation of Bioactive Species in a Microgel Interior.
References.
9 Polymer Capsules.
9.1 Polymer Capsules with Dimensions in Micrometer Size Range.
9.2 Microfluidic Methods for the Generation of Polymer Capsules.
9.3 Emerging Applications of Polymer Capsules Produced by Microfluidic Methods.
References.
10 Microfluidic Synthesis of Polymer Particles with Non–Conventional Shapes.
10.1 Generation of Particles with Non–Spherical Shapes.
10.2 Synthesis of Janus and Triphasic Particles.
10.3 Other Particles with “Non–Conventional” Morphologies.
References.
Summary and Outlook.
Index.