Design and Validation of a Droplet-based Microfluidic System To Study Non-Photochemical Laser-Induced Nucleation of Potassium Chloride Solutions

Non-photochemical laser-induced nucleation (NPLIN) has emerged as a promising primary nucleation control technique offering spatiotemporal control over crystallization with potential for polymorph control. So far, NPLIN was mostly investigated in milliliter vials, through laborious manual counting of the crystallized vials by visual...

Effect of Laser-Exposed Volume and Irradiation Position on Nonphotochemical Laser-Induced Nucleation of Potassium Chloride Solutions

Herein, we study the influences of the laser-exposed volume and the irradiation position on the nonphotochemical laser-induced nucleation (NPLIN) of supersaturated potassium chloride solutions in water. The effect of the exposed volume on the NPLIN probability was studied by exposing distinct milliliter-scale volumes of aqueous potassium...

Role of Hyaluronic Acid on the Nucleation Kinetics of Calcium Oxalate Hydrates in Artificial Urine Quantified with Droplet Microfluidics

The increasing prevalence of urolithiasis in industrialized societies triggered considerable interest in how various species found in urine regulate the nucleation and growth of common kidney stone constituents such as calcium oxalate (CaOx). Yet, the role macromolecules play in kidney stone formation is often overlooked due to their low...

Influence of laser parameters and experimental conditions on nonphotochemical laser-induced nucleation of glycine polymorphs

Nonphotochemical laser-induced nucleation (NPLIN) is a promising primary nucleation control method, yet its underlying mechanism remains elusive. To contribute to the discussion on whether the polarization of laser irradiation in NPLIN experiments influences the polymorphic outcome, we revisit NPLIN experiments with aqueous glycine solutions...

Nucleation kinetics of calcium oxalate monohydrate as a function of pH, magnesium, and osteopontin concentration quantified with droplet microfluidics

A droplet-based microfluidic platform is presented to study the nucleation kinetics of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM), the most common constituent of kidney stones, while carefully monitoring the pseudo-polymorphic transitions. The precipitation kinetics of COM is studied as a function of supersaturation and pH as well as in the presence...

A Combined Experimental and Modelling Study on Solubility of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate at Physiologically Relevant pH and Temperatures

Accurate Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate (COM) solubility measurements are essential for elucidating the physiochemical mechanism behind the formation of kidney stones, nephrolithiasis. Yet the reported solubility values of COM in ultrapure water, arguably the simplest solvent relevant for nephrolithiasis, vary significantly depending on implemented...