Micro/Nanostructured Materials from Droplet Microfluidics

This chapter summarizes the classical and recent achievements in the microstructured materials (MMs)/nanostructured materials (NMs) engineered from droplet microfluidics and their various applications. It overviews of MMs fabricated by droplet microfluidics, including the droplet formation mechanism and various microchips used to generate different droplets, the methods to prepare MMs templated from these droplets, and the unique and complex structures enabled by microfluidic techniques. The chapter presents basic synthesis methods for inorganic and organic NMs through droplet microfluidics, and the heterogeneous and multifunctional nanostructures from microfluidic platforms are also introduced. It emphasizes on the applications of the generated MMs/NMs, including drug delivery, cell encapsulation, TE, and analytical applications. The chapter discusses the current status and existing challenges and provides opinions on the directions of future development of droplet microfluidics in the synthesis of advanced MMs/NMs.