Ian Wark Research Institute
ARC Special Research Centre
ARC Special Research Centre
Research Area: Microfluidics, nanotechnology
Supervisors: Dr
Catherine Whitby and Dr
Craig Priest
Description: Microfluidic technologies are challenging our
conventional views of fluid processing. Microscopic droplets have become
the vessel of choice for nanolitre-scale reactions, high speed analysis,
and efficient separations.[1-3] Emulsion stability is crucial to a wide
variety of commercial applications, including food processing, composite
materials, cosmetics, and explosives. The stability of conventional
emulsions is largely determined by the surfactant present at the
liquid-liquid interface; however, nanoparticles may also be used to
generate “particle-stabilized emulsions” with superior stability against
coalescence.[4-6] In this project, particle-stabilized emulsions will be
generated in microfluidic channels and their stability will be
determined by inducing controlled collisions at microfluidic junctions.
References
1. Evans H. M., Surenjav E., Priest C., Herminghaus S., Seemann R.,
Pfohl T., In situ formation, manipulation, and imaging of
droplet-encapsulated fibrin networks, Lab on a Chip 9, 1933 (2009).
2. Priest C., Quinn A., Postma A., Zelikin A.N., Ralston J., Caruso F.,
Microfluidic polymer multilayer adsorption on liquid crystal droplets
for microcapsule synthesis, Lab on a Chip 8, 2182 (2008).
3. Priest C., Herminghaus S., Seemann R., Controlled electrocoalescence
in microchannels: Targeting a single lamella, Applied Physics Letters
89, 134101 (2006).
4. Binks, B. P., Particles as surfactants-similiarities and differences,
Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science 7, 21 (2001).
5. Binks, B. P., Whitby, C. P., Silica Particle-stabilised emulsions of
silicone oil and water: aspects of emulsification, Langmuir 20, 1130
(2004).
6. Whitby, C. P., Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., Effect of oil soluble
surfactant on emulsions stabilised by clay particles, Journal of Colloid
and Interface Science 323, 410 (2008).
