Optimization of the electrostatic droplet generation process for controlled microbead production: Single nozzle system

Abstract

The aim of this study was to optimize the electrostatic extrusion process for producing small, spherical and uniform microbeads with different fluid viscosities by varying the operating parameters in very wide ranges. Alginate was used as a model polymer. Since the rheological behavior of the solution is one of the parameters that affects the flow dynamics during extrusion, viscosity measurements of solutions with different alginate content were performed. The results obtained in this study show that an electrostatic droplet generator can be used for the production of spherical microbeads of narrow size distribution from low- and medium- viscous fluids (0.5, 1, and 2% of alginate). The average microbead diameter for low-viscous solutions was less than 100 micrometers. It was possible to obtain beads smaller than 500 micrometers that were very uniform (standard deviations less than 2.5%) and of spherical (the shape distortion was less than 1%) from medium-viscous alginate solution (2%). By reducing the polymer flowrate to less than 1 ml/h, even smaller microbeads were produced with diameters of about 300 micrometers. The particular contribution of this paper is in exceeding limitations regarding the use of high-viscous polymer solutions. Optimization of the operating conditions that included the use of a very small needle (0.15 mm), enlargement of the electrode distance to more than 20 cm and a severe reduction in the polymer flow rate to lower than 5 ml/h (for 3% alginate) or 1 ml/h (for 4% alginate) enabled the production of small, entirely spherical and uniform microbeads with an average microbead diameter lower than 500 and 700 micrometers in the case of 3 and 4% of alginate, respectively.