Functional microparticles from multiscale regulation of multiphase emulsions for mass-transfer intensification

Abstract

Mass transfer of pollutants and drugs in microparticles are important for their applications in the fields of water decontamination and drug delivery. Microparticles with controllable structures and advanced functions allow enhancement of mass transfer processes to achieve improved performances for water decontamination and drug delivery. This review summarizes recent progresses on controllable fabrication of functional microparticles from microfluidic multiphase emulsions, with intensified mass-transfer for water decontamination and drug delivery. This is started by introducing the controllable microfluidic production of diverse monodisperse emulsions, and then the template synthesis of functional microparticles from the emulsion templates for water decontamination and drug delivery. Porous microparticles with intensified mass transfer via creation of hierarchical pores and bubble-propelled motion for enhanced water decontamination are introduced. Then, compartmental microparticles with intensified mass transfer via shell permeability adjustment, shell degradation, shell shrinkage, and their combinations for advanced drug delivery are highlighted. The strategies to engineer the functional microparticles for intensified mass transfer via multiscale regulation of their multiphase emulsion templates are emphasized. Finally, perspectives on the future development of microfluidic techniques for developing advanced functional microparticles with intensified mass transfer for enhanced performances are discussed.