Continuous production of lipid nanoparticles by multiple-splitting in microfluidic devices with chaotic microfibrous channels.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices with chaotic microfibrous channels were fabricated for the continuous production of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) microfibrous matrices with different diameters (3.6 ± 0.3, 6.3 ± 0.4, and 12.2 ± 0.8 µm) were used as a template to develop microfibrous channels. The lipid solution (in ethanol) and water phase were introduced into the microfluidic device as the discontinuous and continuous phases, respectively. The smaller diameter of microfibrous channels and the higher flow rate of the continuous phase resulted in the smaller LNPs with a narrower size distribution. The multiple-splitting of the discontinuous phase and the microscale contact between the two phases in the microfibrous channels were the key features of the LNP production in our approach. The LNPs containing doxorubicin with different average sizes (89.7 ± 35.1 and 190.4 ± 66.4 nm) were prepared using the microfluidic devices for the potential application in tumor therapy. In vitro study revealed higher cellular uptake efficiency and cytotoxicity of the smaller LNPs, especially in the HepG2 cells. The microfluidic devices with microfibrous channels can be widely used as a continuous and high-throughput platform for the production of LNPs containing various active agents.

In Situ Spontaneous Fabrication of Tough and Stretchable Polyurethane-Polyethyleneimine Hydrogels Selectively Triggered by CO2.

CO2 -triggered in situ hydrogels is developed from waterborne poly(ε-caprolactone)-based polyurethane (PU) dispersion and aqueous polyethyleneimine (PEI) solution without any other chemicals and apparatus (e.g., UV light). In the approach, nontoxic CO2 in air is used as a selective trigger for the hydrogel formation. CO2 adsorption onto PEI results in the formation of ammonium cations in PEI and the subsequent multiple ionic crosslinking between PU and PEI chains. Besides the amount of CO2 in air, the rate of hydrogel formation can be controlled by NaHCO3 in the PU-PEI mixture, which serves as a CO2 supplier. The PU hydrogels exhibit tough and stretchable properties with high tensile strength (2.05 MPa) and elongation at break (438.24%), as well as biocompatibility and biodegradability. In addition, the PU hydrogels exhibit high adhesion strength on skin and injectability due to the in situ formation. It is believed that these PU hydrogels have the ideal features for various future applications, such as tissue adhesion barriers, wound dressing, artificial skin, and injectable fillers.

Fabrication of Microfiber-Templated Microfluidic Chips with Microfibrous Channels for High Throughput and Continuous Production of Nanoscale Droplets.

A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic chip with well-interconnected microfibrous channels was fabricated by using an electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) microfibrous matrix and 3D-printed pattern as templates. The microfiber-templated microfluidic chip (MTMC) was used to produce nanoscale emulsions and spheres through multiple emulsification at many small micro-orifice junctions among microfibrous channels. The emulsion formation mechanisms in the MTMC were the cross-junction dripping or Y-junction splitting at the micro-orifice junctions. We demonstrated the high throughput and continuous production of water-in-oil emulsions and polyethylene glycol-diacrylate (PEG-DA) spheres with controlled size ranges from 2.84 µm to 83.6 nm and 1.03 µm to 45.7 nm, respectively. The average size of the water droplets was tuned by changing the micro-orifice diameter of the MTMC and the flow rate of the continuous phase. The MTMC theoretically produced 58 trillion PEG-DA nanospheres per hour without high shear force. In addition, we demonstrated the higher encapsulation efficiency of the PEG-DA microspheres in the MTMC than that of the microspheres fabricated by ultrasonication. The MTMC can be used as a powerful platform for the large-scale and continuous productions of emulsions and spheres.

Charging and discharging mechanisms of organic bistable devices based on ZnO nanoparticles capped with a poly N-vinylcarbazole polymer.

Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometer images of hybrid nanocomposites of ZnO nanoparticles capped with a poly N-vinylcarbazole (PVK) that was fabricated using the spin-coating technique showed that the ZnO nanoparticles were capped with a PVK polymer layer. The measurement of the current-voltage (I-V) of the Al/ZnO nanoparticles capped with a PVK layer/indium-tin-oxide/glass devices at 300 K showed electrical bistability and negative differential resistance, which indicate the nonvolatile nature of the memory effect of the electron captured in the ZnO nanoparticles. The charging and discharging mechanisms of the organic bistable devices that were fabricated using hybrid nanocomposites of ZnO nanoparticles capped with a PVK layer are described based on the I-V results.

Enhancement of the memory effects for nonvolatile memory devices fabricated utilizing ZnO nanoparticles embedded in a Si3N4 layer.

ZnO nanoparticles embedded in a Si3N4 layer by using spin-coating and thermal treatment were fabricated to investigate the feasible applications in charge trapping regions of the metal/oxide/nitride/oxide/p-Si memory devices. The magnitude of the flatband voltage shift of the capacitance-voltage (C-V) curve for the Al/SiO2/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in Si3N4 layer/SiO2/p-Si memory device was larger than that of Al/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in SiO2 layer/p-Si and Al/SiO2/Si3N4/SiO2/p-Si devices. The increase in the flatband voltage shift of the C-V curve for the Al/SiO2/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in Si3N4 layer/SiO2/p-Si memory device in comparison with other devices was attributed to the existence of the ZnO nanoparticles or the interface trap states between the ZnO nanoparticles and the Si3N4 layer resulting from existence of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in the Si3N4 layer.

Structural and electronic properties of ZnO nanoparticles grown on p-Si and Al2O3 substrates by using spin coating and thermal treatment.

ZnO nanoparticles were formed on p-Si and Al2O3 substrates by using spin coating and thermal treatment method. Scanning electron microscopy images and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry profiles showed that ZnO nanoparticles were formed on p-Si and Al2O3 substrates. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that ZnO nanoparticles formed on the p-Si substrates had polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structures and that those formed on the Al2O3 substrates had a c-axis preferential orientation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy profiles showed that the O 1s and the Zn 2p peaks corresponding to the ZnO nanoparticles were observed.

Formation of copper based nanoparticles embedded in a relatively thick polyimide film by thermal curing in reducing atmosphere.

We investigated the formation of nanoparticles in a relatively thick polyimide (PI) film (> 1 microm) in controlled atmospheres and optical properties of these nanoparticles. Polyamic acid of 10 wt% BPDA-PDA was spin-coated on the 25 nm Cu thin film and thermally cured at 350 degrees C in high purity nitrogen or 5% H2 + 95% N2 atmosphere. The fabricated nanoparticles in high purity nitrogen atmosphere had spherical shape and were dispersed in the 1.5 microm thick PI film. Its phase was revealed as Cu and Cuprous Oxide by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Its size and optical absorption depended on deposited metal thin film thickness. After post heat-treatment in 5% H2 + 95% N2 atmosphere, surface plasmon resonance from metallic Cu nanoparticle was enhanced. In the specimens cured in reducing atmosphere, 5% H2 + 95% N2, highly dense and 3.5 nm size nanoparticles were well dispersed in an entire PI film. XRD results and optical data revealed that nanoparticles fabricated in 5% H2 + 95% N2 atmosphere were metallic Cu. Thermal curing in reducing atmosphere produces nanoparticles of high density, and uniform dispersion in a relatively thick PI film.