Microfluidic devices allow precise fast mixing of polymer precursor solutions under controlled laminar flow conditions and are considered as a promising tool for continuous polymerization, assembly and formulation processes. For polymer solutions undergoing assembly upon mixing an inherent and major problem for microfluidic devices is the adsorption to channel walls and the large mixing and residence time distribution due to the parabolic velocity profile.<br/><br/>We show that the use of three-dimensional double focusing microfluidic devices solve the problem of polymer wall adsorption and enable to achieve precise and well-defined mixing and residence times. With the example of pH-induced hydrogelation of aqeuous trisamide hydrogelators we show that hydrogelation and gel-fiber formation occurs precisely in the center of the reaction channel at a well-defined mixing point. We furthermore demonstrate that polymer precursor solutions can be assembled into collagen and perfluoropolymer microfibers using microfluidic devices operating with liquids or compressed air inducing flow-focusing and free continuous microfiber production that can we wound up on a spool. The produced collagen microfibers have excellent mechanical properties exceeding those of natural tendon.

Polymer hydrogelation and continuous microfiber formation in microfluidic devices

2019 Fall National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.