In this thesis, we present a versatile new method for preparing highly monodisperse droplets, polymer particles, double emulsions, and self-assemblies of droplets in continuous microfluidic reactors. Recently, microfluidic systems are significantly being used in many areas of chemistry and biotechnology to achieve improved performance. Microfluidics provides the ability to automate highly repetitive laboratory tasks by replacing huge cumbersome equipment with miniaturized and integrated systems, and it enables the handling of small amounts, e.g., from microliters to femtoliters of fluids, reactants and products. These methods have the following useful features: (1) the generation of extremely monodisperse droplets, (2) the generation and control of both the shape and the size of the droplets, (3) the use of a wide variety of materials, including: gels, monomers, polymers, copolymers, and polymers doped with functional additives, (4) a possibility of in situ solidification of the droplets by means of photopolymerization and/or thermopolymerization, and (5) the ability to scale up the production of large quantities of particles. We focus on the effect of the properties of the disperse and continuous phases on the emulsification process, the effect of the polymerization rate on the production of high-quality particles, the role of the material and geometry of the microfluidic device in droplet formation, and the synthesis of particles with different shapes and compositions.

The manipulation of fluids in channels with dimensions in the range from tens to hundreds of micrometers – microfluidics – has recently emerged as a new field of science and technology. Microfluidics has applications spanning analytical chemistry, organic and inorganic synthesis, cell biology, optics and information technology. One particularly promising application is the microfluidic synthesis of polymer particles with precisely controlled dimensions, and a variety of shapes, morphologies and compositions. Written as a comprehensive introduction for scientists and engineers working in microfabrication and microfluidics, Microfluidic Reactors for Polymer Particles covers topics such as: Applications and methods of generation of polymer particles Physics of microfluidic emulsification Formation of droplets in microfluidic systems High-throughput microfluidic systems for formation of droplets Microfluidic production of polymer particles and hydrogel particles Polymer capsules Synthesis of polymer particles with non-conventional shapes This book is intended for a broad audience, including students, researchers and engineers in industry, with interests in physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering or biotechnology.

In this special volume on polymer particles, recent trends and developments in the synthesis of nano- to micron-sized polymer particles by radical polymerization (Emulsion, Miniemulsion, Microemulsion, and Dispersion Polymerizations) of vinyl monomers in environmentally friendly heterogeneous aqueous and supercritical carbon dioxide fluid media are reviewed by prominent worldwide researchers. In addition to the important challenges and possibilities with regards to design and preparation of functionalized polymer particles of controlled size, the topics described are of great current interest due to the increased awareness of environmental issues.

Microchemical Engineering in Practice provides the information chemists and engineers need to evaluate the use of microreactors, covering the technical, operational, and economic considerations for various applications. It explains the systems needed to use microreactors in production and presents examples of microreactor use in different chemistries, including larger scale production processes. There are guidelines on calculating the costs and the risks of production using continuous flow microreactors. Complete with case studies, this is an essential guide for chemists and engineers interested in investigating the advantages of chemical microreactors.

The series Advances in Polymer Science presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science. It covers all areas of research in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics, material science.The thematic volumes are addressed to scientists, whether at universities or in industry, who wish to keep abreast of the important advances in the covered topics.Advances in Polymer Science enjoys a longstanding tradition and good reputation in its community. Each volume is dedicated to a current topic, and each review critically surveys one aspect of that topic, to place it within the context of the volume. The volumes typically summarize the significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years and discuss them critically, presenting selected examples, explaining and illustrating the important principles, and bringing together many important references of primary literature. On that basis, future research directions in the area can be discussed. Advances in Polymer Science volumes thus are important references for every polymer scientist, as well as for other scientists interested in polymer science - as an introduction to a neighboring field, or as a compilation of detailed information for the specialist.Review articles for the individual volumes are invited by the volume editors. Single contributions can be specially commissioned.Readership: Polymer scientists, or scientists in related fields interested in polymer and biopolymer science, at universities or in industry, graduate students

Beginning with the basics of surfactant chemistry and micellization, this book presents a range of nanotechnology strategies for controlling colloidal and polymeric structures for the solubilization and targeted delivery of food nutrients and pharmaceuticals.

The common perception is that nanoscience is something entirely new, that it sprung forth whole and fully formed like some mythological deity. But the truth is that like all things scientific, nanoscience is the natural result of the long evolution of scientific inquiry. Following a historical trail back to the middle of the 19th century, nanoscience is the inborn property of colloid and interface science. What’s important today is for us to recognize that nanoparticles are small colloidal objects. It should also be appreciated that over the past decades, a number of novel nanostructures have been developed, but whatever we call them, we cannot forget that their properties and behavior are still in the realm of colloid and interface science. However one views it, the interest and funding in nano-science is a tremendous opportunity to advance critical research in colloid chemistry. Nanoscience: Colloidal and Interfacial Aspects brings together a prominent roster of 42 leading investigators and their teams, who detail the wide range of theoretical and experimental knowledge that can be successfully applied for investigating nanosystems, many of which are actually well-known colloidal systems. This international grouping of pioneering investigators from academia and industry use these pages to provide researchers of today and tomorrow with a full examination of nano-disperse colloids, homogeneous and heterogeneous nano-structured materials (and their properties), and shelf-organization at the nano-scale. This cutting-edge reference provides information on investigations into non-linear electrokinetic phenomena in nano-sized dispersions and nano-sized biological systems. It discusses application aspects of technological processes in great detail, providing scientists and engineers across all fields with authoritative commentary on colloid and interface science operating at the nanoscale. Nano-Science: Colloidal and Interfacial Aspects provides an authoritative resource for those wanting to familiarize themselves with current progress as well as for those looking to make their own impact on the development of new technologies and practical applications in fields as diverse as medicine, materials, and environmental science to name but a few. Whether you call the technology nano or colloids, the field continues to be ripe with opportunity.