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Macro-Batch and Continuously Operated Microfluidic Emulsification—Differences, Similarities and Optimization

In this work, the emulsification of oil-in-water two-phase systems with three emulsifiers (PEG 1500, 6000 and 20000) was studied in a batch macro system and in a continuously operated mi-crofluidic system. The effect of emulsifier concentration, oil concentration and mixing rate on zeta potential and average Feret diameter was analyzed for the macro-batch system, while the effect of emulsifier concentration, oil concentration and total flow rate on zeta potential and av-erage Feret diameter was analyzed for the microfluidic system. The emulsions prepared in batch system were more stable, had smaller droplet diameter but higher values of polydispersity in-dex (PDI) compared to those prepared by continuous method. In both cases, batch and continu-ous, the use of PEG with higher molecular weight resulted in emulsions with lower zeta poten-tial values. In batch emulsification, all three optimization parameters (emulsifier concentration, oil concentration and mixing rate) had a significant influence on the average Feret diameter and zeta potential (depending on the PEG, used for emulsification), while the emulsifier concentra-tion had the most significant influence on the zeta potential and average Feret diameter of emulsions prepared in the continuous microsystem process.

PEG emulsions ; microfluidics ; high shear mixing ; average Feret diameter ; zeta potential

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