The Potential of Liquid Marbles for Biomedical Applications: A Critical Review.
Fiche publication
Date publication
octobre 2017
Journal
Advanced healthcare materials
Auteurs
Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Pr MANO João F.
Tous les auteurs :
Oliveira NM, Reis RL, Mano JF
Lien Pubmed
Résumé
Liquid marbles (LM) are freestanding droplets covered by micro/nanoparticles with hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties, which can be manipulated as a soft solid. The phenomenon that generates these soft structures is regarded as a different method to generate a superhydrophobic behavior in the liquid/solid interface without modifying the surface. Several applications for the LM have been reported in very different fields, however the developments for biomedical applications are very recent. At first, the LM properties are reviewed, namely shell structure, LM shape, evaporation, floatability and robustness. The different strategies for LM manipulation are also described, which make use of magnetic, electrostatic and gravitational forces, ultraviolet and infrared radiation, and approaches that induce LM self-propulsion. Then, very distinctive applications for LM in the biomedical field are presented, namely for diagnostic assays, cell culture, drug screening and cryopreservation of mammalian cells. Finally, a critical outlook about the unexplored potential of LM for biomedical applications is presented, suggesting possible advances on this emergent scientific area.
Mots clés
biomedical applications, freestanding droplets, liquid marbles, soft solids
Référence
Adv Healthc Mater. 2017 Oct;6(19):