Fig. 3: Thermally reversible two-level compartmentalization of the PNIPAM/DEX system at different temperatures.

a Schematic illustration of generating PNIPAM/DEX all-aqueous double emulsions by droplet microfluidics. b Schematic diagram displaying the phase transition in the resulting all-aqueous double emulsions. All-aqueous double emulsions with dex-rich cores and PNIPAM-rich shells under (c) FITC channel, (d) rhodamine channel, and (e) merged channel at 25 °C. Each experiment was repeated independently three times with similar results. f Fluorescence intensity profile shows the distribution of PNIPAM and DEX along with the white dash line in (e). The transition of all-aqueous double emulsions to condensed shells with diluted cores under (g) FITC channel, (h) rhodamine channel, and (i) merged channel at 35 °C. Each experiment was repeated independently three times with similar results. j Fluorescence intensity profile shows the distribution of PNIPAM and DEX along with the white dash line in (i).