Combinatorial microfluidic droplet engineering for biomimetic material synthesis

Bawazer, Lukmaan A.; McNally, Ciara S.; Empson, Christopher J.; Marchant, William J.; Comyn, Tim P.; Niu, Xize; Cho, Soongwon; Mcpherson, Michael J.; Binks, Bernard P.; deMello, Andrew; Meldrum, Fiona C.

Abstract

Although droplet-based systems are used in a wide range of technologies, opportunities for systematically customizing their interface chemistries remain relatively unexplored. This article describes a new microfluidic strategy for rapidly tailoring emulsion droplet compositions and properties. The approach utilizes a simple platform for screening arrays of droplet-based microfluidic devices and couples this with combinatorial selection of the droplet compositions. Through the application of genetic algorithms over multiple screening rounds, droplets with target properties can be rapidly generated. The potential of this method is demonstrated by creating droplets with enhanced stability, where this is achieved by selecting carrier fluid chemistries that promote titanium dioxide formation at the droplet interfaces. The interface is a mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases, and the resulting composite droplets are biocompatible, supporting in vitro protein expression in their interiors. This general strategy will find widespread application in advancing emulsion properties for use in chemistry, biology, materials and medicine.

Citation

Bawazer, L. A., McNally, C. S., Empson, C. J., Marchant, W. J., Comyn, T. P., Niu, X., …Meldrum, F. C. (2016). Combinatorial microfluidic droplet engineering for biomimetic material synthesis. Science Advances, 2(10), e1600567-e1600567. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1600567

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 31, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Oct 7, 2016
• Publication Date: Oct 7, 2016
• Deposit Date: Sep 7, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 7, 2016
• Journal: Science advances
• Electronic ISSN: 2375-2548
• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 10
• Article Number: ARTN e1600567
• Pages: e1600567-e1600567
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1600567
• Keywords: Droplet engineering
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/442765
• Publisher URL: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/10/e1600567
• Additional Information: Copy of article first published in: Science advances, 2016, v.2, issue 10. Article no. e1600567