# Microfluidic synthesis and electrospinning

> Continuous processes in six panels: hydrodynamic flow focusing, a staggered herringbone mixer, glass-capillary 3D focusing and droplet microfluidics for nanoparticle synthesis, then the electrospinning set-up and its four steps from Taylor cone to fibre mat. Each caption quotes the cited papers.

- Page: https://www.labcanvas.com/templates/nanomaterial-guides/microfluidic-synthesis-electrospinning
- Open in the LabCanvas editor (LabCanvas account): https://www.labcanvas.com/editor.html?template=nano-microfluidics-electrospinning
- Updated: 2026-10-14
- Category: Nanomaterial guides
- Method: Flow synthesis and electrospinning, bottom-up
- Starting materials: An organic phase and an aqueous phase in microchannels; a polymer solution in a syringe
- Product: Nanoparticles formed downstream of the mixer or inside droplets; a nonwoven fibre mat
- Key result: Chips and set-ups drawn by LabCanvas in 3D from the cited reviews; channel sizes and flow rates are settings, not to scale
- Figure: 1920 × 1080 px, 45 editable layers (6 generated objects with settings)

## Steps

1. **Laminar microchannels**: Channels tens to hundreds of µm across keep the flow laminar; mixing in milliseconds separates nucleation, growth and aggregation better than batch methods (Shen 2024)
2. **Hydrodynamic flow focusing**: In a three-inlet device the slower central organic stream is sheathed into a thin sheet by faster aqueous side streams; focusing in 3D keeps it off the walls, reducing attachment and clogging (Shen 2024)
3. **Staggered herringbone mixer**: Asymmetric protrusions stir the two fluids chaotically, mixing them within 10 or 15 cycles of the pattern (Shen 2024)
4. **Glass capillaries and droplets**: Tapered round capillaries inserted into a square capillary carry the organic solvent as the inner phase and the aqueous solution as the outer phase, focused in 3D; droplet generators confine reactions to picolitre water-in-oil droplets, commonly used for inorganic nanoparticles (Shen 2024)
5. **Electrospinning set-up**: A high-voltage power supply (DC or AC), a syringe pump, a spinneret (usually a blunt-tipped hypodermic needle) and a conductive collector (Xue 2019)
6. **Cone, jet, whipping, fibres**: Electrostatic repulsion among like surface charges deforms the pendant droplet into a Taylor cone, from which a charged jet is ejected; the jet extends in a straight line, then whips through bending instabilities, thins, solidifies and deposits as fibres on the grounded collector (Xue 2019)

## Strengths

- Mixing in milliseconds separates nucleation, growth and aggregation better than batch methods (Shen 2024)
- Focusing in 3D keeps the stream off the walls, reducing attachment and clogging (Shen 2024)

## References

1. Shen, Gwak & Han, “Advanced manufacturing of nanoparticle formulations of drugs and biologics using microfluidics”, Analyst 2024. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3an01739g (primary)
2. Xue et al., “Electrospinning and electrospun nanofibers: methods, materials, and applications”, Chem. Rev. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00593 (primary)
3. Reneker & Chun, “Nanometre diameter fibres of polymer, produced by electrospinning”, Nanotechnology 1996. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/7/3/009 (method origin)

Credit: Drawn by LabCanvas after Shen, Gwak & Han, Analyst 2024 (doi:10.1039/d3an01739g), Xue et al., Chem. Rev. 2019 and Reneker & Chun, Nanotechnology 1996, and the papers in the details.

## Questions

**What does the “Microfluidic synthesis and electrospinning” template show?** Continuous processes in six panels: hydrodynamic flow focusing, a staggered herringbone mixer, glass-capillary 3D focusing and droplet microfluidics for nanoparticle synthesis, then the electrospinning set-up and its four steps from Taylor cone to fibre mat. Each caption quotes the cited papers.

**What are the steps shown in “Microfluidic synthesis and electrospinning”?** 1. Laminar microchannels: Channels tens to hundreds of µm across keep the flow laminar; mixing in milliseconds separates nucleation, growth and aggregation better than batch methods (Shen 2024). 2. Hydrodynamic flow focusing: In a three-inlet device the slower central organic stream is sheathed into a thin sheet by faster aqueous side streams; focusing in 3D keeps it off the walls, reducing attachment and clogging (Shen 2024). 3. Staggered herringbone mixer: Asymmetric protrusions stir the two fluids chaotically, mixing them within 10 or 15 cycles of the pattern (Shen 2024). 4. Glass capillaries and droplets: Tapered round capillaries inserted into a square capillary carry the organic solvent as the inner phase and the aqueous solution as the outer phase, focused in 3D; droplet generators confine reactions to picolitre water-in-oil droplets, commonly used for inorganic nanoparticles (Shen 2024). 5. Electrospinning set-up: A high-voltage power supply (DC or AC), a syringe pump, a spinneret (usually a blunt-tipped hypodermic needle) and a conductive collector (Xue 2019). 6. Cone, jet, whipping, fibres: Electrostatic repulsion among like surface charges deforms the pendant droplet into a Taylor cone, from which a charged jet is ejected; the jet extends in a straight line, then whips through bending instabilities, thins, solidifies and deposits as fibres on the grounded collector (Xue 2019).

**What are the starting materials and the product?** Starting materials: An organic phase and an aqueous phase in microchannels; a polymer solution in a syringe. Product: Nanoparticles formed downstream of the mixer or inside droplets; a nonwoven fibre mat.

**Which papers is “Microfluidic synthesis and electrospinning” based on?** Shen, Gwak & Han, “Advanced manufacturing of nanoparticle formulations of drugs and biologics using microfluidics”, Analyst 2024 (doi:10.1039/d3an01739g); Xue et al., “Electrospinning and electrospun nanofibers: methods, materials, and applications”, Chem. Rev. 2019 (doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00593); Reneker & Chun, “Nanometre diameter fibres of polymer, produced by electrospinning”, Nanotechnology 1996 (doi:10.1088/0957-4484/7/3/009).

**Can I edit the “Microfluidic synthesis and electrospinning” template?** Yes. Open it in the LabCanvas editor: all 45 layers are editable, including 6 generated objects (structures, plots, equipment) with their own settings. Change the text, colours and layout, then export PNG, TIFF, SVG or PDF.

**Do I need an account to use this template?** Not to view it here. To open and edit it, sign in to LabCanvas or create a free account (the free plan keeps up to 3 designs). Downloading the figure is part of LabCanvas Pro (US$19 a month or US$199 a year).