Droplet-based microfluidics have enabled generation of oil-water-based emulsions of tunable size and structure. Besides their direct use, these emulsions also form excellent templates for functional particles, capsules and vesicles, which have demonstrated excellent potential for biomedical applications, such as encapsulation of biomolecules and cells. However, the use of oil-based solvents in the emulsion fabrication process necessitates tedious procedures for their complete removal before the resultant materials can be used in aqueous environments, for instance, in cell culture studies. To address this, all-aqueous emulsions, which are emulsions with dispersed and continuous phases of immiscible aqueous phases, have been proposed as an alternative. The different interfacial and rheological properties of these emulsion phases demand novel emulsion generation and stabilization strategies. In this talk, we will discuss various approaches for preparing all-aqueous emulsions in microfluidic devices and suggest ways to stabilize them.

Microfluidic generation of all-aqueous emulsions

245th National Meeting (2013)

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