Large Ultrathin Shelled Drops Produced via Non-Confined Microfluidics

We present a facile approach for producing large and monodisperse core-shell drops with ultrathin shells using a single-step process. A biphasic compound jet is introduced into a quiescent third (outer) phase that ruptures to form core-shell drops. Ultrathin shelled drops could only be produced within a certain range of surfactant concentrations and flow rates, highlighting the effect of interfacial tension in engulfing the core in a thin shell. An increase in surfactant concentrations initially resulted in drops with thinner shells. However, the drops with thinnest shells were obtained at an optimum surfactant concentration, and a further increase in the surfactant concentrations increased the shell thickness. Highly monodisperse (coefficient of variation smaller than 3%) core-shell drops with diameter of approximate to 200 m-2 mm with shell thickness as small as approximate to 2 m were produced. The resulting drops were stable enough to undergo polymerisation and produce ultrathin shelled capsules.