Continuous fabrication of core-shell aerogel microparticles using microfluidic flows

Abstract

This work focuses on fabrication of core-shell polyimide aerogel microparticles with and without a surfactant via oil-in-oil-in-oil (O/O/O) emulsion system aided by a simple microfluidic device. A double emulsion is formed through sequential, step-wise emulsification of co-flowing core and shell organic liquid streams in a simple microfluidic setup. The polyimide sol, introduced as the shell liquid, undergoes accelerated polymerization in a heated silicone oil bath to yield a porous polyimide shell around silicone oil core that eliminates the possibility of droplet coalescence or rupture. The core-shell gel microparticles are then isolated and supercritically dried to obtain core-shell aerogel microparticles. The diameter and shell thickness of hollow microparticles are studied as function of liquid flowrates in the microfluidic device and the viscosity of the shell liquid.