| 摘要 |
Multiple emulsions with an “onion” topology are useful vehicles for drug delivery, biochemical assays, and templating materials. They can be assembled by ternary liquid phase separation using microfluidics, but the control over their design is limited because the mechanism of their creation is unknown. Here it is shown that phase separation occurs via self-similar cycles of mass transfer, spinodal decomposition or nucleation, and coalescence into multiple layers. Mapping out the phase diagram demonstrates a linear relation between concentric layer diameters, whose slope depends on the initial ternary composition and the molecular weight of the surfactant. These general rules quantitatively predict the number of droplet layers (multiplicity). Further, self-assembly routes for polymer capsules and liposomes are provided with techniques to assemble lipid-stabilized droplets with ordered internal structures. |
