Microfluidic generation of monodispersed Janus alginate hydrogel microparticles using water-in-oil emulsion reactant

Microparticles with uniform anisotropic structures are widely used in physical, chemical, and biological fields owing to their ability to combine multiple functions on a micro-scale. Here, a microfluidic emulsion-based external gelation method was demonstrated for the first time to produce monodisperse Janus calcium alginate (Ca-alginate) hydrogel microparticles consisting of two compartments. This approach provided a fast reaction condition under which we could prepare magnetic Janus Ca-alginate microparticles with diameters ranging from 148 to 179 μm and a coefficient of variation (CV) less than 4%. Moreover, the boundaries between the two compartments were clear. In addition, the volume fraction of each compartment could be adjusted by varying the flow rate ratio between two dispersed phases. Next, we produced fluorescent Janus beads and magnetic-fluorescent Janus beads with an average diameter of ∼150 μm (CV < 4.0%). The magnetic Janus hydrogel microparticles we produced could be manipulated by applying a magnetic field to achieve self-assembly, rotation, and accumulation. Magnetic Janus hydrogel microparticles are also capable of mammalian cell encapsulation with good cell viability. This article presents a simple and stable approach for producing monodisperse bi-compartmental Janus hydrogel microparticles that could have great potential for application in physical, biochemical, and biomedical fields.