Selective Segregation of Thermo‐Responsive Microgels via Microfluidic Technology

Small Methods, vol. 8, pp. e2400226

Abstract

Separation of equally sized particles distinguished solely by material properties remains still a very challenging task. Here a simple separation of differently charged, thermo-responsive polymeric particles (for example microgels) but equal in size, via the combination of pressure-driven microfluidic flow and precise temperature control is proposed. The separation principle relies on forcing thermo-responsive microgels to undergo the volume phase transition during heating and therefore changing its size and correspondingly the change in drift along a pressure driven shear flow. Different thermo-responsive particle types such as different grades of ionizable groups inside the polymer matrix have different temperature regions of volume phase transition temperature (VPTT). This enables selective control of collapsed versus swollen microgels, and accordingly, this physical principle provides a simple method for fractioning a binary mixture with at least one thermo-responsive particle, which is achieved by elution times in the sense of particle chromatography. The concepts are visualized in experimental studies, with an intend to improve the purification strategy of the broad distribution of charged microgels into fractioning to more narrow distribution microgels distinguished solely by slight differences in net charge.

Authors 8

1. Anjali Sharma

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy University of Potsdam 14476 Potsdam Germany

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany

2. Fabian Rohne

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy University of Potsdam 14476 Potsdam Germany

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany

3. Daniela Vasquez‐Muñoz

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy University of Potsdam 14476 Potsdam Germany

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany

4. Se‐Hyeong Jung Aachen DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e.V. 52074 Aachen Germany

   DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., 52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Nino Lomadze

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy University of Potsdam 14476 Potsdam Germany

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany

6. Andrij Pich Aachen DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · Maastricht University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e.V. 52074 Aachen Germany

   Functional and Interactive Polymers Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, or, Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces Department of Materials Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM) Maastricht University Geleen 6167 RD The Netherlands

   DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Functional and Interactive Polymers, Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, or, Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM) Maastricht University, Geleen, 6167 RD The Netherlands

7. Svetlana A. Santer

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy University of Potsdam 14476 Potsdam Germany

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany

8. Marek Bekir corresponding

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy University of Potsdam 14476 Potsdam Germany

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany