A new process is presented where the controlled coagulation of droplets is
achieved through electrical forces. The charged droplets are produced by el
ectrosprays operated in the cone-jet model. The coagulation of oppositely c
harged droplets leads to the neutralization of the electrosprays. Furthermo
re, this coagulation enables controlled mixing on a micro-scale and subsequ
ent chemical reactions inside the combined droplets. This process has many
potential applications in the production of "tailored" particles, particles
of uniform size and composition. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights
reserved.