Method of generating monodisperse emulsions
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsAdam R. Abate, Makiko N. Hatori, Leqian Liu, Samuel Kim, Cyrus Modavi
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Abstract
The methods described herein, referred to as particle-templated emulsification (PTE), provide an improved approach for generating a monodisperse emulsion that encapsulates target particles of interest without requiring the use of a microfluidic device. Monodisperse droplets may be effectively obtained by using monodisperse particles to template the formation of droplets, which can include, e.g., monodisperse single-emulsion droplets, multiple-emulsion droplets, or Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUV), without destroying the integrity of the droplets.
Claims16
A method for generating an emulsion, the method comprising:
- (i) providing a first fluid comprising a plurality of target particles, water that surrounds each target particle, and a surfactant selected from the group consisting of octylphenol ethoxylate and octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (IGEPAL);
- (ii) combining a plurality of monodisperse template particles with the first fluid to provide a first mixture comprising the plurality of target particles, the surfactant, the plurality of monodisperse template particles, and water that is in contact with and surrounds each target particle and each monodisperse template particle, wherein 99% or more of the plurality of monodisperse template particles vary in diameter by less than a factor of 10, wherein the monodisperse template particles comprise polyethylene glycol (PEG) or agarose;
- (iii) combining the first mixture with a second fluid in the absence of a microfluidic channel to provide a second mixture, wherein the second fluid is immiscible with the first fluid;
- and
- (iv) shearing the second mixture by vortexing in the absence of a microfluidic channel such that a plurality of the monodisperse template particles are encapsulated in a plurality of monodisperse droplets ranging from 0.1 to 1000 microns in diameter in the second fluid, thereby providing a plurality of monodisperse droplets comprising one of the monodisperse template particles, one of the plurality of target particles, and water that is in contact with and surrounds both the one monodisperse template particle and the one target particle,
- wherein each monodisperse droplet further comprises a surfactant membrane comprising the surfactant, wherein the surfactant membrane is in contact with both the water inside the monodisperse droplet and the second fluid outside the droplet, wherein the surfactant membrane is in contact with and surrounds the water that is in contact with and surrounds both the one monodisperse template particle and the one target particle,
- wherein the plurality of monodisperse droplets have a variation in diameter of less than a factor of 10,
- wherein the one target particle is not immobilized on the one monodisperse template particle,
- wherein the second fluid is 2-(trifluoromethyl)-3-ethoxydodecafluorohexane fluorinated oil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.