New paper in J. Mater. Chem. B

Post date: Apr 5, 2016 12:51:40 AM

Tae Yong Lee, Ramasamy Praveenkumar, You-Kwan Oh, Kyubock Lee, and Shin-Hyun Kim, "Alginate Microgels Created by Selective Coalescence between Core Drops Paired by Ultrathin Shell", Journal of Materials Chemistry B, accepted for publication (2016). (Lee&Praveenkumar equally contributed, Co-corresponding author)

We report a highly biocompatible and practical protocol to create alginate microgels for bioactive encapsulation. Double-emulsion drops composed of dual cores enclosed by ultrathin shell are prepared in a capillary microfluidic device, which exhibit selective coalescence between the cores. When the cores are laden by alginate precursors and divalent ions respectively, the coalescence leads to the formation of alginate microgel in the fused core of double-emulsion drops. The microgel can be rapidly released into continuous water phase by rupture the liquid shell. This method involves neither any toxic chemical cues for gelation nor a long-term exposure to oil, thereby providing highly biocompatible encapsulation.