| Microfluidic systems have advantages such as low sample consumption, fast reaction over conventional bench top processes and were demonstrated the abilities to generate high quality droplets and particles with narrow size distribution. Divided by material category, recent development of using microfluidic devices for semiconductor, metal, colloidal, and biomaterial particle synthesis were reviewed. Microfluidic systems were designed and fabricated accordingly by applications and upon surface modification for droplet generation and particle synthesis purpose. Poly (dimethylsiloxane) and solvent compatible thiolene adhesive were used as device materials, and soft lithography and molding method were utilized for fast device fabrication. Droplet generation and manipulation were demonstrated in microchannels with adjustable generation rate, size, ratio, and controllable droplet fusion and switch. Base on microfluidic systems and droplet technique, three methods, chemical reaction, solvent evaporation, solvent extraction were applied to generate cadmium sulfide and poly (lactide-co-glycolide) micro/nanoparticles. The sizes of synthesized particles range from 5nm (CdS) to 160mum (PLGA) in diameter with narrow size distribution. By utilizing microfluidic platforms more novel particle synthesis can be prepared and applied for drug delivery and biomedical applications. |
