3D focusing in parallel microchannels for high-throughput synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles

Abstract

We have developed a multilayer microfluidic device for the parallelization of nanoparticles synthesis by microfluidic rapid nanoprecipitation in 3D hydrodynamic flow focusing geometry. Since the shape and position of interconnecting holes between upper and lower poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) channels could be optimized, stable vertical focusing could be achieved. The poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-b-polyethyleneglycol (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles with various sizes could be synthesized with polymers of different molecular weights and concentrations. In addition, the size of nanoparticles could be precisely tuned simply by changing the flow ratio of organic stream to the total flow rate of water when the molecular weights and concentrations of polymer were fixed.