Droplet microfluidic SANS
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Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The coupling of droplet microfluidics and Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) is demonstrated with a range of model systems: isotopic solvent (H2O/D2O) mixtures, surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) solutions and colloidal (silica) suspensions. Several droplet carrier phases are evaluated and fluorinated oil emerges as a suitable fluid with minimal neutron background scattering (commensurate with air), and excellent interfacial properties. The combined effects of flow dispersion and compositional averaging caused by the neutron beam footprint are evaluated in both continuous and droplet flows and an operational window is established. Systematic droplet-SANS dilution measurements of colloidal silica suspensions enable unprecedented quantification of form and structure factors, osmotic compressibility, enhanced by constrained global data fits. Contrast variation measurements with over 100 data points are readily carried out in 10-20 min timescales, and validated for colloidal silica of two sizes, in both continuous and droplet flows. While droplet microfluidics is established as an attractive platform for SANS, the compositional averaging imposed by large (∼1 cm) beam footprints can, under certain circumstances, make single phase, continuous flow a preferable option for low scattering systems. We propose simple guidelines to assess the suitability of either approach based on well-defined system parameters.
Date Issued
2018-01-16
Date Acceptance
2018-01-15
Citation
Soft Matter, 2018, 14, pp.1759-1770
ISSN
1744-683X
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
1759
End Page
1770
Journal / Book Title
Soft Matter
Volume
14
Copyright Statement
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2018
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29355865
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Physical
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Polymer Science
Chemistry
Materials Science
Physics
X-RAY-SCATTERING
ANGLE NEUTRON-SCATTERING
FRONTAL PHOTOPOLYMERIZATION
SURFACTANT MIXTURES
SILICA DISPERSIONS
CONTRAST VARIATION
SOFT MATTER
SAXS
MICELLES
DEVICE
03 Chemical Sciences
09 Engineering
02 Physical Sciences
Chemical Physics
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England