Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to mechanically-activated microcapsules (MAMCs) for controlled drug-delivery, wherein the MAMCs release one or more active ingredients in response to mechanical stimuli in a subject's body. The MAMCs provide a platform for stimulating biological regeneration, biological repair, modifying disease, and/or controlling disease in mechanically-loaded musculoskeletal tissues.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a microfluidic device has a substrate that defines a first inlet for a continuous phase fluid, a second inlet for a dispersed phase fluid, and droplet generators that can produce micro-droplets from the continuous and dispersed phase fluids. The substrate defines (i) a plurality of delivery channels in fluid communication with the first and second inlets, each delivery channel having a first dimension along a first plane that is perpendicular to a transverse direction, and (ii) a plurality of trenches that extend from the delivery channels towards the droplet generators along the transverse direction. Each trench has a second dimension along a plane that is perpendicular to the transverse direction that is smaller than the first dimension. The substrate defines a plurality of vias that extend from the trenches to the droplet generators so as to fluidly connect the delivery channels with the droplet generators.

Abstract: A method, comprising: with a bijel that comprises (i) a hydrophilic phase, (ii) a hydrophobic phase that comprises a polymerizable component, and (iii) a jammed nanoparticle layer having a 3-dimensional structure and being present at an interface between the hydrophilic phase and the polymerizable hydrophobic phase, polymerizing the polymerizable component so as to form a porous polymerized structure contacting the nanoparticles; and pyrolyzing the porous polymerized structure to give rise to a carbonaceous structure defining a porous carbonaceous wall that separates bicontinuous inner and outer pore phases, the porous carbonaceous wall contacting the nanoparticles. A carbonaceous material, comprising a porous carbonaceous wall that defines bicontinuous inner and outer pore phases.

Abstract: Provided are Janus particles derived from natural starting materials, including starting materials that are plant-based and are not based on petrochemicals. Also provided are related compositions that include the disclosed particles, including emulsion compositions. Additionally provided are methods of synthesizing the disclosed Janus particles.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter provides systems and methods for delivering a therapeutic agent for targeted treatments. The system can include at least one microcapsule and a magnetic system. The microcapsule can include the therapeutic agent and a layer of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). The therapeutic agent can be encapsulated by the layer of the IONPs that include a first type of nanoparticles and a second type of nanoparticles. The magnetic system can be configured to generate a magnetic field to control the motion of the microcapsule as well as to assemble into multi-capsule structure and control its motion. Assemblies of multiple microcapsules can be controlled simultaneously and directed to targeted areas for delivery of larger therapeutic payload.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for inducing strain fields to give rise to controllable wrinkle patterns in a variety of substrates. Also provided are articles having persistent wrinkling patterns thereon.

Abstract: Here we demonstrate a contactless method to induce reversible droplet contact angle modulation on chemically inert substrates via corona discharge-based dielectric charge injection (DCI). The method involves a probe that can induce dielectric breakdown of the surrounding dielectric medium, such as air, under voltages exceeding the medium's dielectric strength. Breakdown leads to ionization of the dielectric, after which then the ions accelerate away from the sharp tip due to electrostatic repulsion, resulting in charge injection onto a target surface. With DCI, one induces wetting of a water droplet on non-wetting, non-contacting surfaces in non-polar continuous phases. DCI can achieve up to 140° contact angle modulation. Furthermore, upon removal of the voltage, the droplet dewets and returns to the initial non-wetting state. DCI can induce deposition of encapsulated materials from droplets to the non-wetting surface. DCI can also recover materials from such a surface.

Abstract: Hydrogel particles (microgels) generated using microfluidic methods have superb properties such as high size uniformity and precise control over degradation and release profiles, making them useful for applications in wound healing and injectable drug delivery. However, the throughput of microfluidics is constrained by the physics governing the flow of immiscible fluids confined within microchannels. This throughput tends to be several orders of magnitude lower than what would be necessary for commercial and clinical applications. Here, we demonstrate the scaling up of on-chip synthesis of microgels by parallelizing the microfluidic channels. Taking advantage of the established fabrication technologies developed by the semiconductor industry and a high flow control system, a 4-inch silicon microfluidic chip integrating more than 4,000 microfluidic devices is developed.

Abstract: Provided are methods for forming polymer-infiltrated nanoparticle films by using capillary action to draw mobile molecular chains into the pores of a bed of nanoparticles. The chains can spread across the entire bed of nanoparticles. The disclosed methods also provide the formation of patterned polymer-infiltrated nanoparticle film compositions, as well as laterally graded compositions and compositions that feature a polymer gradient through the composition's thickness. Articles can be formed that include a plurality of polymer types infiltrated into the bed of nanoparticles.

Abstract: Provided is, inter alia, a method, comprising: complexing a peptide-comprising surfactant (PEPS) to a rare earth element (REE) cation in a solution so as to form a PEPS-REE complex, the PEPS comprising a REE-binding region that preferentially binds to one or more REEs; and optionally recovering the REE cation from an air-liquid interface. Also provided is a composition, comprising: a complex comprising (i) a peptide-comprising surfactant (PEPS), the PEPS comprising at least one lanthanide binding tag (LBT), the at least one LBT comprising one or more residues arranged in a binding region that coordinates with an REE cation so as to form a PEPS-REE cation complex, and (ii) an REE cation, the REE cation of the complex coordinated with the binding region of the PEPS. Further provided is a method, comprising application of at least one of molecular dynamics, artificial intelligence, and a genetic algorithm to design a PEPS that comprises an LBT and preferentially binds one REE over at least one other REE.

Abstract: A composition, comprising: a plurality of mechanically-activated microcapsules; a mechanically-activated microcapsule defining a shell and an exterior surface; and the mechanically-activated microcapsule comprising one or more adhesion groups disposed Non the exterior surface of the mechanically-activated microcapsule, the one or more adhesion groups being configured to effect a covalent interaction, a non-covalent interaction, or both between the one or more adhesion groups and a matrix material, the covalent interaction, the non-covalent interaction, or both adhering the mechanically-activated microcapsule to the matrix material. Also provided are related methods and related articles.

Abstract: Methods of making robust bijels include dispersing metal oxide precursors and/or metal salts into at least one phase of a bijel and hydrolyzing and condensing the metal oxide precursors and/or metal salts in a sol-gel reaction to form sintered bridges between interfacially jammed surface-active nanoparticles. The methods can be used with any bijels, including those produced during solvent transfer-induced phase separation (STRIPS) methods and other methods. A robust bijel includes chemically sintered bridges between the interfacially jammed surface-active nanoparticles. Methods of making nanocatalyst-functionalized sintered bijels include adsorbing metal salts to a surface of sintered interfacially jammed nanoparticles of bijels, and reducing the metal precursors on the surface of the sintered nanoparticles. Nanocatalyst-functionalized sintered bijels include catalytically active metal or metal oxide nanocatalysts on a surface of the sintered interfacially jammed surface-active nanoparticles.

Abstract: Systems, comprising: an aqueous medium, the aqueous medium having an amount of DNA disposed therein, the aqueous medium having one or more RNA polymerases disposed therein; and a non-aqueous medium. Methods, the methods comprising operating a system according to the present disclosure, so as to give rise to an RNA product disposed in the non-aqueous medium. Methods, comprising: with an RNA polymerase in an aqueous medium, effecting synthesis of an RNA product from template DNA, and selectively transferring the RNA product to a non-aqueous medium.

Abstract: This disclosure demonstrates a new method to produce three dimensional multiphasic structures, including bijels, via vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS). In VIPS, the evaporation of the co-solvent from a ternary mixture of oil, water and ethanol, induces phase separation. Particles present in the mixture attach to the interface and arrest the phase separation between water and oil. VIPS enables, inter alia, the fabrication of films and coatings via spreading or spraying particle-laden suspension onto a surface without the need for an outer aqueous phase.

Abstract: Methods of making robust bijels include dispersing metal oxide precursors and/or metal salts into at least one phase of a bijel and hydrolyzing and condensing the metal oxide precursors and/or metal salts in a sol-gel reaction to form sintered bridges between interfacially jammed surface-active nanoparticles. The methods can be used with any bijels, including those produced during solvent transfer-induced phase separation (STRIPS) methods and other methods. A robust bijel includes chemically sintered bridges between the interfacially jammed surface-active nanoparticles. Methods of making nanocatalyst-functionalized sintered bijels include adsorbing metal salts to a surface of sintered interfacially jammed nanoparticles of bijels, and reducing the metal precursors on the surface of the sintered nanoparticles. Nanocatalyst-functionalized sintered bijels include catalytically active metal or metal oxide nanocatalysts on a surface of the sintered interfacially jammed surface-active nanoparticles.

Abstract: This disclosure demonstrates a new method to produce three dimensional multiphasic structures, including bijels, via vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS). In VIPS, the evaporation of the co-solvent from a ternary mixture of oil, water and ethanol, induces phase separation. Particles present in the mixture attach to the interface and arrest the phase separation between water and oil. VIPS enables, inter alia, the fabrication of films and coatings via spreading or spraying particle-laden suspension onto a surface without the need for an outer aqueous phase.

Abstract: Polymer-infiltrated nanoparticle films (PINFs) that have high volume fractions (>50 vol %) of nanoparticles (NPs) possess enhanced properties making them ideal for various applications. Capillary rise infiltration (CaRI) of polymer and solvent-driven infiltration of polymer (SIP) into pre-assembled NP films have emerged as versatile approaches to fabricate PINFs. Although these methods are ideal for fabricating PINFs with homogenous structure, several applications including separations and photonic/optical coatings would benefit from a method that enables scalable manufacturing of heterostructured (i.e., films with variation in structural properties such as porosity, composition, refractive indices etc.) PINFs. In this work, a new technique is developed for fabricating heterostructured PINFs with cavities based on CaRI.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to vesicles such as liposomes, colloidosomes, and polymersomes, as well as techniques for making and using such vesicles. In some cases, the vesicles may be at least partially biocompatible and/or biodegradable. The vesicles may be formed, according to one aspect, by forming a multiple emulsion comprising a first droplet surrounded by a second droplet, which in turn is surrounded by a third fluid, where the second droplet comprises lipids and/or polymers, and removing fluid from the second droplet, e.g., through evaporation or diffusion, until a vesicle is formed. In certain aspects, the size of the vesicle may be controlled, e.g., through osmolarity, and in certain embodiments, the vesicle may be ruptured through a change in osmolarity. In some cases, the vesicle may contain other species, such as fluorescent molecules, microparticles, pharmaceutical agents, etc., which may be released upon rupture.

Abstract: A method of producing a nanocomposite film includes generating a bilayer film including at least a first layer of at least one nanoparticle and a second layer of at least one material and annealing the bilayer film. A uniform nanocomposite film includes a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles form at least 60% by volume of the polymer nanocomposite film.

Abstract: A method for producing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; and polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles. A method for functionalizing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles; and functionalizing the click-active Janus particles using one or more click chemistry reactions.