Making polymeric micro- and nanoparticles of complex shapes

Polymeric micro- and nanoparticles play a central role in varied applications such as drug delivery, medical imaging, and advanced materials, as well as in fundamental studies in fields such as microfluidics and nanotechnology. Functional behavior of polymeric particles in these fields is strongly influenced by their shape. However, the availability of precisely shaped polymeric particles has been a major bottleneck in understanding and capitalizing on the role of shape in particle function. Here we report a method that directly addresses this need. Our method uses routine laboratory chemicals and equipment to make particles with >20 distinct shapes and characteristic features ranging in size from 60 nm to 30 mu m. This method offers independent control over important particle properties such as size and shape, which is crucial to the development of nonspherical particles both as tools and products for a variety of fields.