Flower-like droplets obtained by self-emulsification of a phase-separating (SEPS) aqueous film

Abstract

<p>Highly complex droplets, such as flower-like droplets, are designed by incorporating liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) into the breakup of an aqueous film.</p>

Complex Suspended Janus Droplets Constructed through Solvent Evaporation-Induced Phase Separation at the Air–Liquid Interface

“…The same phenomenon occurred at 82% (v/v), but the phase separation time was significantly longer, as illustrated in Figure 3c. With the further increased proportion of ethanol to 91% (v/v), after contact with the liquid paraffin, the mixture droplets dispersed into a lot of small suspended droplets 49 (Figure 3d1,d2). Interestingly, every small droplet can start the phase separation and turn into the lotus seedpod single-phase Janus droplet, as shown in Figure 3d3,d4.…”

“…Despite many researchers that have studied the droplet's phase separation phenomenon in noncontinuous surroundings, 47,48 there are few studies on the phase separation phenomenon and spreading behavior of suspended droplets at the air−liquid interface. 49,50 Herein, we reported a novel interfacial phase separation phenomenon with a mixture material system consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), ethanol, glycerol, and liquid paraffin, which occurred within a suspended droplet at the air−liquid interface due to the influences of three interfacial tensions. The suspended droplets at the air−droplet interface would be phase-separated into a patchy structure, which was a new phase-separation phenomenon.…”

“…Li et al found the Rayleigh–Taylor instability in the phase separation process of a microdroplet system, which was driven by the evaporation of a 1,2-hexanediol–water microdroplet on a solid substrate in air. Chao et al presented a facile approach to creating flower-like suspended microdroplets via a phase-separating aqueous film self-emulsification. Despite many researchers that have studied the droplet’s phase separation phenomenon in noncontinuous surroundings, , there are few studies on the phase separation phenomenon and spreading behavior of suspended droplets at the air–liquid interface. , …”

Interfacial Synthesis: Morphology, Structure, and Properties of Interfacial Formations in Liquid–Liquid Systems

“…At intense SSC, the interface becomes discontinuous. The self-emulsification effect was used to obtain flower-like microparticles at the liquid-liquid interface [164]. The energy supply at the level of particles at the liquid-liquid interface sets them in motion and affects the assemblies of nanoparticles [165].…”

Controlled Formation of All-Aqueous Janus Droplets by Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation of an Aqueous Three-Phase System

“…In this work, we propose a method to produce all-aqueous nonspherical Janus droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation of an aqueous three-phase system (A3PS): dextran (DEX), poly­(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) (see Scheme a). A3PSs are immiscible multiphase systems formed by various polymers, salts, or surfactants at high concentrations. − They have been applied for separating biomolecules because of their high biocompatibility . When a droplet with a mixture of DEX and PEtOx at a low concentration is exposed to a PEG solution at high concentration, water is extracted from the drop to bulk phases, and the dumbbell-shaped Janus droplets are formed after phase separation.…”