Flow lithography has become a powerful particle synthesis technique. Currently, flowlithography relies on the use of polydimethylsiloxane microchannels, because the processrequires local inhibition of polymerization, near channel interfaces, via oxygen permeation. Thedependence on polydimethylsiloxane devices greatly limits the range of precursor materialsthat can be processed in flow lithography. Here we present oxygen-free flow lithography viainert fluid-lubrication layers for the synthesis of new classes of complex microparticles. Weuse an initiated chemical vapour deposition nano-adhesive bonding technique to create nonpolydimethylsiloxane-based devices. We successfully synthesize microparticles with a subsecond residence time and demonstrate on-the-fly alteration of particle height. This techniquegreatly expands the synthesis capabilities of flow lithography, enabling particle synthesis,using water-insoluble monomers, organic solvents, and hydrophobic functional entities suchas quantum dots and single-walled carbon nanotubes. As one demonstrative application, wecreated near-infrared barcoded particles for real-time, label-free detection of target analytes.
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