Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining at least one target parameter set for a flow chemistry setup (110) for flow chemistry in slugs is disclosed. The method is a self-learning method. The method comprises the following steps: a) determining at least one process variable by using at least one sensor (122) of a flow chemistry setup (110); b) training of at least one machine-learning model (126) based on the process variable; c) determining the target parameter set by applying an optimizing algorithm in terms of at least one optimization target on the trained machine-learning model (126); d) providing the determined target parameter set and/or considering the determined target parameter set for evaluating a flow chemistry setup (110) and/or for evaluating at least one flow chemistry product.

Abstract: Zeolites, improved methods for their synthesis, and catalysts, systems, and methods of using these zeolites as catalysts are described. The method of synthesis of the zeolites includes forming a mixture including a zeolitic precursor material and a structure directing agent and subjecting the mixture to high shear processing conditions.

Abstract: Zeolites, improved methods for their synthesis, and catalysts, systems, and methods of using these zeolites as catalysts are described. The method of synthesis of the zeolites includes forming a mixture including a zeolitic precursor material and a structure directing agent and subjecting the mixture to high shear processing conditions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a polymerization process involving the steps of generating monomer micro-volumes in a microfluidic device, feeding the monomer micro-volumes through the at least one first microfluidic channel towards a monomer feed point at which the monomer micro-volumes enter into or onto a volume of a non-aqueous liquid and form aqueous monomer droplets, allowing the aqueous monomer droplets to flow towards a polymer bead discharge point, initiating polymerisation of the aqueous monomer droplets to form polymerising beads, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in the non-aqueous liquid from the vessel at the polymer bead discharge point, and recovering water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension. The present disclosure also includes an apparatus for performing the polymerization process and water soluble or water swellable polymer beads obtained by the polymerization process.

Abstract: The invention relates to oil-in-water emulsions based on fatty alcohols and mono- or diesters of glycerol and the use thereof as antifoams or deaerators for aqueous compositions. The oil phase of the emulsions according to the invention consists to at least 95% by weight of the following constituents: a) 40 to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of the oil phase, of a mixture of at least two alcohols as component A, consisting of: a1) at least one alkanol having 12 to 30 carbon atoms as component A1, a2) at least one mono- or diester of glycerol with at least one fatty acid having 14 to 24 carbon atoms as component A2; b) 0.1 to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the oil phase, of at least one further component B, which is selected from esters of C12-C36-alkanecarboxylic acids with polyglycerol, amides of C12-C36-alkanecarboxylic acids with alkylenediamines or oligoalkyleneamines, and esters of C12-C36-alkanecarboxylic acids with C12-C36-alkanols, and mixtures thereof, c) 4.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to emulsions, and more particularly, to double and other multiple emulsions. Certain aspects of the present invention are generally directed to the creation of double emulsions and other multiple emulsions at a common junction of microfluidic channels. In some cases, the microfluidic channels at the common junction may have substantially the same hydrophobicity. In one set of embodiments, a device may include a common junction of six or more channels, where a first fluid flows through one channel, a second fluid flows through two channels, and a third or carrying fluid flows through two more channels, such that a double emulsion of a first droplet of the first fluid, contained in a second droplet of the second fluid, contained by the carrying fluid, flows away from the common junction through a sixth channel.

Abstract: Surfactants (e.g., fluorosurfactants) for stabilizing aqueous or hydrocarbon droplets in a fluorophilic continuous phase are presented. In some embodiments, fluorosurfactants include a fluorophilic tail soluble in a fluorophilic (e.g., fluorocarbon) continuous phase, and a headgroup soluble in either an aqueous phase or a lipophilic (e.g., hydrocarbon) phase. The combination of a fluorophilic tail and a headgroup may be chosen so as to create a surfactant with a suitable geometry for forming stabilized reverse emulsion droplets having a disperse aqueous or lipophilic phase in a continuous, fluorophilic phase. In some embodiments, the headgroup is preferably non-ionic and can prevent or limit the adsorption of molecules at the interface between the surfactant and the discontinuous phase. This configuration can allow the droplet to serve, for example, as a reaction site for certain chemical and/or biological reactions.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to emulsions, and more particularly, to double and other multiple emulsions. Certain aspects of the present invention are generally directed to the creation of double emulsions and other multiple emulsions at a common junction of microfluidic channels. In some cases, the microfluidic channels at the common junction may have substantially the same hydrophobicity. In one set of embodiments, a device may include a common junction of six or more channels, where a first fluid flows through one channel, a second fluid flows through two channels, and a third or carrying fluid flows through two more channels, such that a double emulsion of a first droplet of the first fluid, contained in a second droplet of the second fluid, contained by the carrying fluid, flows away from the common junction through a sixth channel.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to microfluidics, and to spray drying and other drying techniques. In some aspects, an article containing one or more channels or microfluidic channels is used to mix one or more fluids prior to spray drying. The mixing may occur immediately before the fluids are expelled through a nozzle or other opening into a drying region of the spray dryer. In one set of embodiments, for example, a first fluid is exposed to a second fluid, then the fluids are exposed to air or other gases before being expelled through a nozzle. In certain instances, the first fluid may contain a dissolved species that may precipitate upon exposure to the second fluid; such precipitation may occur immediately before expulsion through a nozzle or other opening, thereby resulting in controlled precipitation as part of the spray drying process.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to emulsions, and more particularly, to double and other multiple emulsions. Certain aspects of the present invention are generally directed to the creation of double emulsions and other multiple emulsions at a common junction of microfluidic channels. In some cases, the microfluidic channels at the common junction may have substantially the same hydrophobicity. In one set of embodiments, a device may include a common junction of six or more channels, where a first fluid flows through one channel, a second fluid flows through two channels, and a third or carrying fluid flows through two more channels, such that a double emulsion of a first droplet of the first fluid, contained in a second droplet of the second fluid, contained by the carrying fluid, flows away from the common junction through a sixth channel.

Abstract: Surfactants (e.g., fluorosurfactants) for stabilizing aqueous or hydrocarbon droplets in a fluorophilic continuous phase are presented. In some embodiments, fluorosurfactants include a fluorophilic tail soluble in a fluorophilic (e.g., fluorocarbon) continuous phase, and a headgroup soluble in either an aqueous phase or a lipophilic (e.g., hydrocarbon) phase. The combination of a fluorophilic tail and a headgroup may be chosen so as to create a surfactant with a suitable geometry for forming stabilized reverse emulsion droplets having a disperse aqueous or lipophilic phase in a continuous, fluorophilic phase. In some embodiments, the headgroup is preferably non-ionic and can prevent or limit the adsorption of molecules at the interface between the surfactant and the discontinuous phase. This configuration can allow the droplet to serve, for example, as a reaction site for certain chemical and/or biological reactions.

Abstract: Surfactants (e.g., fluorosurfactants) for stabilizing aqueous or hydrocarbon droplets in a fluorophilic continuous phase are presented. In some embodiments, fluorosurfactants include a fluorophilic tail soluble in a fluorophilic (e.g., fluorocarbon) continuous phase, and a headgroup soluble in either an aqueous phase or a lipophilic (e.g., hydrocarbon) phase. The combination of a fluorophilic tail and a headgroup may be chosen so as to create a surfactant with a suitable geometry for forming stabilized reverse emulsion droplets having a disperse aqueous or lipophilic phase in a continuous, fluorophilic phase. In some embodiments, the headgroup is preferably non-ionic and can prevent or limit the adsorption of molecules at the interface between the surfactant and the discontinuous phase. This configuration can allow the droplet to serve, for example, as a reaction site for certain chemical and/or biological reactions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for coating metal oxide on a PDMS surface. The method includes preparing a mixture that contains a sol-gel precursor, reacting the mixture to form a preconverted sol-gel precursor, where the preconverted sol-gel precursor does not diffuse into PDMS and is not in the form of a gel, forming a reactive PDMS surface, applying the preconverted sol-gel precursor onto the reactive PDMS surface, binding the preconverted sol-gel precursor to the re-active PDMS surface, and converting the bound preconverted sol-gel precursor to a metal oxide to form a metal oxide coating on the PDMS surface. The present invention also provides a PDMS microfluidic device where one or more channels of the microfluidic device is provided with a metal oxide coating covalently bound only on the surface of the one or more channels.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to microfluidics, and to spray drying and other drying techniques. By at least partially drying fluids within a microfluidic channel, instead of or in addition to conventional spray drying techniques, better control of the drying process can be achieved in certain aspects of the invention. In addition, various embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for drying fluids contained within a channel such as a microfluidic channel. For example, a fluid may be partially or completely dried within a microfluidic channel, prior to being sprayed into a collection region. In some embodiments, gases such as air may be directed into a channel containing a fluid, which may facilitate drying of the fluid. In some cases, the fluid may be accelerated due to the introduction of gases into the channel, and in certain embodiments, droplets of fluid may be disrupted to form smaller droplets as a result.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to coating materials, including photoactive coating materials. In some aspects of the invention, a sol-gel is provided that can be formed as a coating on a microfluidic channel. One or more portions of the sol-gel can be reacted to alter its hydrophobicity, in some cases. For instance, in one set of embodiments, a portion of the sol-gel may be exposed to light, such as ultraviolet light, which can be used to induce a chemical reaction in the sol-gel that alters its hydrophobicity. In one set of embodiments, the sol-gel can include a photoinitiator, that upon exposure to light, produces radicals. Optionally, the photoinitiator may be conjugated to a silane or other material within the sol-gel. The radicals so produced may be used to cause a polymerization reaction to occur on the surface of the sol-gel, thus altering the hydrophobicity of the surface. In some cases, various portions may be reacted or left unreacted, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to coating materials, including photoactive coating materials. In some aspects of the invention, a sol-gel is provided that can be formed as a coating on a microfluidic channel. One or more portions of the sol-gel can be reacted to alter its hydrophobicity, in some cases. For instance, in one set of embodiments, a portion of the sol-gel may be exposed to light, such as ultraviolet light, which can be used to induce a chemical reaction in the sol-gel that alters its hydrophobicity. In one set of embodiments, the sol-gel can include a photoinitiator, that upon exposure to light, produces radicals. Optionally, the photoinitiator may be conjugated to a silane or other material within the sol-gel. The radicals so produced may be used to cause a polymerization reaction to occur on the surface of the sol-gel, thus altering the hydrophobicity of the surface. In some cases, various portions may be reacted or left unreacted, e.g.

Abstract: The invention relates to oil-in-water emulsions based on fatty alcohols and mono- or diesters of glycerol and the use thereof as antifoams or deaerators for aqueous compositions. The oil phase of the emulsions according to the invention consists to at least 95% by weight of the following constituents: a) 40 to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of the oil phase, of a mixture of at least two alcohols as component A, consisting of: a1) at least one alkanol having 12 to 30 carbon atoms as component A1, a2) at least one mono- or diester of glycerol with at least one fatty acid having 14 to 24 carbon atoms as component A2; b) 0.1 to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the oil phase, of at least one further component B, which is selected from esters of C12-C36-alkanecarboxylic acids with polyglycerol, amides of C12-C36-alkanecarboxylic acids with alkylenediamines or oligoalkyleneamines, and esters of C12-C36-alkanecarboxylic acids with C12-C36-alkanols, and mixtures thereof, c) 4.

Abstract: The invention provides microemulsions comprising a) at least one compound having two or more isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atoms, b) at least one apolar organic compound, c) at least one halogen-free compound effective in causing said compounds a) and b) to build a microemulsion, comprising at least one amphiphilic compound ci) selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, polymers and mixtures thereof, and at least one compound cii), other than ci), selected from compounds having an apolar portion having a carbon chain length of 6 or more and one or more OH or NH groups as polar portion and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing polyurethanes by reacting a) polyisocyanates with b) compounds having at least two hydrogen atoms which are reactive toward isocyanate groups, wherein the component b) comprises at least one filler-comprising polyol bi) and at least one thixotrope bii).

Abstract: Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to particles comprising a shell and an interior at least partially contained by the shell. In some embodiments, the particles may be treated to enhance the containment of the interior, for example to reduce transport of an agent into or out of the interior. Such particles may exhibit increased ability to encapsulate agents and/or increased storage life (e.g., due to reduced leakage). For instance, in certain embodiments, any defects, such as cracks, pores, etc. within the shell may be sealed or otherwise treated to reduce transport therethrough. In some embodiments, for instance, a first reactant in the interior of a particle may come into contact with a second reactant outside of the particle to form a solid, or other suitable product. The shell may also be treated to cause release of an agent contained within the interior, in certain aspects.