Microfluidic Platform for the Generation of Organic-Phase Microreactors

TLDR

The authors fabricated thiolene‑based microfluidic devices via rapid photolithography, quantified their solvent resistance, and generated uniform organic droplets in a water/SDS matrix with droplet size and composition tuned by flow‑rate control. The platform enabled bromination of alkenes inside benzene droplets, demonstrating organic‑phase synthesis within microreactors.

Abstract

Rapid prototyping photolithography of a thiolene-based resin was used to fabricate microfluidic devices stable to aliphatic and aromatic organic solvents. The swelling of the cross-linked polymer matrix in various organic solvents was quantified, and the solvent resistance properties of these microfluidic devices are described. Discrete droplets of hexanes and toluene of uniform size were generated in microfluidic devices inside a water matrix containing SDS surfactant (SDS = sodium dodecyl sulfate). Variation of water and organic flow rates in the fluidic channels was used to control droplet size and separation. Droplet composition could be controlled by varying flow rates of two joined organic streams. Organic-phase synthetic reactions within the droplets were demonstrated with the bromination of alkenes inside benzene droplets.