{"title":"Autonomous Seeding of Microparticles on the Inner Surface of Polymer Hollow Microfibers Using Hydrodynamic Forces","authors":"Saurabh S. Aykar, Nicole N. Hashemi","doi":"10.1002/admi.202500345","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Lateral displacement of microparticles suspended in a viscoelastic fluid flowing through a microfluidic channel occurs due to an imbalance in the first (N1) and second (N2) normal stress differences. Here, the lateral displacement of fluorescent microparticles suspended in a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution in a two-phase flow with aqueous sodium alginate, flowing through a unique microfluidic device that manufactures microparticles seeded alginate-based hollow microfibers is studied. Parameters such as concentration of the aqueous sodium alginate and flow rate ratios are optimized to enhance microparticle seeding density and minimize their loss to the collection bath. 4% w/v aqueous sodium alginate is observed to confine the suspended microparticles within the hollow region of microfibers as compared to 2% w/v. Moreover, the higher flow rate ratio of the core fluid, 250 µL min<sup>−1</sup> results in about 192% increase in the microparticle seeding density as compared to its lower flow rate of 100 µL min<sup>−1</sup>. The shear thinning index (<i>m</i>) is measured to be 0.91 for 2% w/v and 0.75 for 4% w/v sodium alginate solutions. These results provide insights into understanding microparticle displacement within a viscoelastic polymer solution flowing through a microfluidic channel, motivating further studies in biofabrication, and cellular seeding and sorting.</p>","PeriodicalId":115,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Materials Interfaces","volume":"12 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/admi.202500345","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Advanced Materials Interfaces","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/admi.202500345","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Lateral displacement of microparticles suspended in a viscoelastic fluid flowing through a microfluidic channel occurs due to an imbalance in the first (N1) and second (N2) normal stress differences. Here, the lateral displacement of fluorescent microparticles suspended in a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution in a two-phase flow with aqueous sodium alginate, flowing through a unique microfluidic device that manufactures microparticles seeded alginate-based hollow microfibers is studied. Parameters such as concentration of the aqueous sodium alginate and flow rate ratios are optimized to enhance microparticle seeding density and minimize their loss to the collection bath. 4% w/v aqueous sodium alginate is observed to confine the suspended microparticles within the hollow region of microfibers as compared to 2% w/v. Moreover, the higher flow rate ratio of the core fluid, 250 µL min−1 results in about 192% increase in the microparticle seeding density as compared to its lower flow rate of 100 µL min−1. The shear thinning index (m) is measured to be 0.91 for 2% w/v and 0.75 for 4% w/v sodium alginate solutions. These results provide insights into understanding microparticle displacement within a viscoelastic polymer solution flowing through a microfluidic channel, motivating further studies in biofabrication, and cellular seeding and sorting.
期刊介绍:
Advanced Materials Interfaces publishes top-level research on interface technologies and effects. Considering any interface formed between solids, liquids, and gases, the journal ensures an interdisciplinary blend of physics, chemistry, materials science, and life sciences. Advanced Materials Interfaces was launched in 2014 and received an Impact Factor of 4.834 in 2018.
The scope of Advanced Materials Interfaces is dedicated to interfaces and surfaces that play an essential role in virtually all materials and devices. Physics, chemistry, materials science and life sciences blend to encourage new, cross-pollinating ideas, which will drive forward our understanding of the processes at the interface.
Advanced Materials Interfaces covers all topics in interface-related research:
Oil / water separation,
Applications of nanostructured materials,
2D materials and heterostructures,
Surfaces and interfaces in organic electronic devices,
Catalysis and membranes,
Self-assembly and nanopatterned surfaces,
Composite and coating materials,
Biointerfaces for technical and medical applications.
Advanced Materials Interfaces provides a forum for topics on surface and interface science with a wide choice of formats: Reviews, Full Papers, and Communications, as well as Progress Reports and Research News.