Continuous fabrication of monodisperse polylactide microspheres by droplet-to-particle technology using microfluidic emulsification and emulsion–solvent diffusion

Abstract

Monodisperse polylactide (PLA) microspheres were continuously fabricated by microfluidic emulsification and subsequent dilution in water. The diameter was precisely tuned from 6 to 50 μm by changing the flow rate of the fluids in microfluidics or the PLA concentration in the dispersed phase. The use of amphiphilic oil-soluble poly(ethylene glycol)-b-polylactide (o-PEG–PLA) as a matrix resulted in a highly porous microsphere morphology, and the porosity was controlled by blending PLA. Therefore, monodisperse PLA microspheres with the predetermined surface porosity were continuously produced by just enough reagents and energy.