Max-planck-gesellschaft Zur F&#xf6;rderung Der Wissenschaften E. V.

Ingmar Polenz

Eberhard Bodenschatz

Huixuan Wu

Jean-Christophe Baret

Each of monodisperse spherical microcapsules for seeding a transparent fluid to track movements of the fluid both in translational and rotational directions comprises a core; a shell; and 1 to 5 light reflecting solid integral particles. Each of the particles reflects incoming light in a defined direction; and each of the particles is embedded in the core and fixed in its orientation with regard to the shell. The shell and the core are transparent for the incoming light to be reflected by the particles entering and exiting the microcapsule. The shell has a thickness of not more than &#x3bb;, &#x3bb; being a wavelength of the incoming light, so that the shell does essentially not deflect the incoming light entering and exiting the microcapsule. The core includes a main component of the fluid such that a refraction index of the core essentially matches a refraction index of the fluid.

Reflecting spherical microcapsules

Spherical microcapsules including light reflecting solid integral particles reflecting incoming light in a defined direction for determining the position and orientation of the microcapsule are produced by preparing a first liquid phase containing a first polymerization partner; preparing a second liquid phase containing a second polymerization partner, the first liquid phase not being soluble in the second liquid phase, and the second polymerization partner being configured to polymerize with the first polymerization partner under polymerization conditions; dispersing the solid particles in the first liquid phase; forming droplets of the first liquid phase including at least one solid particle; and immersing the droplets in the second liquid phase under the polymerization conditions. The first polymerization partner and the second polymerization partner polymerize at the surfaces of the droplets forming shells of a polymeric material enclosing the individual droplets, and the light reflecting solid integral particles are fixed to the shells.

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Matrei im Osttirol, Austria

Ingmar Polenz