Microfluidic Fabrication of Monodisperse Core–Shell Microcapsules

In this chapter, the authors' group developed core-shell microparticles with an oil core and a shell consisting of various stimuli-responsive hydrogels for controllable encapsulation and triggered release. The chapter introduces the microfluidic fabrication of core-shell microcapsules with a shell consisting of thermoresponsive, alcohol-responsive, ion-responsive, and pH-responsive hydrogels and their performances for encapsulation and triggered release. Typically, microcapsules with core-shell structures can be produced using the inner droplet of double emulsions as the inner core compartment and the outer drop as the outer shell. The core-shell microcapsules for alcohol-responsive burst release are composed of a PNIPAM shell and an oil core. The resultant core-shell microcapsules, with a shell consisting of thermo-responsive, alcohol-responsive, ion-responsive, and pH-responsive hydrogels, allow controllable encapsulation of oil-soluble components and nanoparticles for controlled release under triggers including temperature, alcohol, K+, and pH.