ISSN 0253-2778

CN 34-1054/N

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A novel generator for the preparation of monodisperse femtoliter droplets at high frequency

  • Department of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China

Cite this:
https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.0253-2778.2018.12.008
  • Received Date: 20 March 2017
  • Rev Recd Date: 02 June 2017
  • Publish Date: 30 December 2017
    Abstract

  • Abstract

    It has been experimentally demonstrated that droplets, as tiny as 2 μm in diameter, can be generated at rates as high as 20 kHz, with much lower flow rates than needed in the case of conventional flow focusing. The configuration for generating such small droplets consists of a capillary cross, with an exit orifice inserted into the disperse phase channel. With such a structure, the interface of two immiscible fluids is deformed to a shape like Taylor cone. Upon its formation, tiny droplets are issued from the cone tip. This method is found to be highly stable across the flow rate ratios of external to internal fluids, 1～60. By manipulating capillary inner diameters, tip diameters and tip positions, as well as the flow ratio, one can effectively produce droplets in various sizes.

    Abstract

    It has been experimentally demonstrated that droplets, as tiny as 2 μm in diameter, can be generated at rates as high as 20 kHz, with much lower flow rates than needed in the case of conventional flow focusing. The configuration for generating such small droplets consists of a capillary cross, with an exit orifice inserted into the disperse phase channel. With such a structure, the interface of two immiscible fluids is deformed to a shape like Taylor cone. Upon its formation, tiny droplets are issued from the cone tip. This method is found to be highly stable across the flow rate ratios of external to internal fluids, 1～60. By manipulating capillary inner diameters, tip diameters and tip positions, as well as the flow ratio, one can effectively produce droplets in various sizes.
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    • References(21)
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    DENDUKURI D, DOYLE P S. The synthesis and assembly of polymeric microparticles using microfluidics [J]. Advanced Materials, 2009, 21(41): 4071-4086.
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    GARSTECKI P, FUERSTMAN M J, STONE H A, et al. Formation of droplets and bubbles in a microfluidic T-junction-scaling and mechanism of break-up [J]. Lab on a Chip, 2006, 6(3): 437-446.
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    ANNA S L, MAYER H C. Microscale tip streaming in a microfluidic flow focusing device [J]. Physics of Fluids, 2006, 18(12): 121512.
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    LEE W, WALKER L M, ANNA S L. Role of geometry and fluid properties in droplet and thread formation processes in planar flow focusing [J]. Physics of Fluids, 2009, 21(3): 032103.
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    WU P, WANG Y, LUO Z, et al. A 3D easily-assembled micro-cross for droplet generation [J]. Lab on a Chip, 2014, 14(4): 795-798.
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    [1]
    MAZUTIS L, BARET J C, TREACY P, et al. Multi-step microfluidic droplet processing: Kinetic analysis of an in vitro translated enzyme [J]. Lab on a Chip, 2009, 9(20): 2902-2908.
    [2]
    DITTRICH P S, MANZ A. Lab-on-a-chip: Microfluidics in drug discovery [J]. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2006, 5(3): 210-218.
    [3]
    SHIH R, BARDIN D, MARTZ T D, et al. Flow-focusing regimes for accelerated production of monodisperse drug-loadable microbubbles toward clinical-scale applications [J]. Lab on a chip, 2013, 13(24): 4816-4826.
    [4]
    YIN H, MARSHALL D. Microfluidics for single cell analysis [J]. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 2012, 23(1): 110-119.
    [5]
    GU S Q, ZHANG Y X, ZHU Y, et al. Multifunctional picoliter droplet manipulation platform and its application in single cell analysis [J]. Analytical Chemistry, 2011, 83(19): 7570-7576.
    [6]
    DENDUKURI D, DOYLE P S. The synthesis and assembly of polymeric microparticles using microfluidics [J]. Advanced Materials, 2009, 21(41): 4071-4086.
    [7]
    GARSTECKI P, FUERSTMAN M J, STONE H A, et al. Formation of droplets and bubbles in a microfluidic T-junction-scaling and mechanism of break-up [J]. Lab on a Chip, 2006, 6(3): 437-446.
    [8]
    ANNA S L, BONTOUX N, STONE H A. Formation of dispersions using “flow focusing” in microchannels [J]. Applied Physics Letters, 2003, 82(3): 364-366.
    [9]
    UMBANHOWAR P, PRASAD V, WEITZ D. Monodisperse emulsion generation via drop break off in a coflowing stream [J]. Langmuir, 2000, 16(2): 347-351.
    [10]
    MAWATARI K, KUBOTA S, XU Y, et al. Femtoliter droplet handling in nanofluidic channels: A LaPlace nanovalve [J]. Analytical Chemistry, 2012, 84(24): 10812-10816.
    [11]
    MALLOGGI F, PANNACCI N, ATTIA R, et al. Monodisperse colloids synthesized with nanofluidic technology [J]. Langmuir, 2009, 26(4): 2369-2373.
    [12]
    SHUI L, VAN DEN BERG A, EIJKEL J C. Scalable attoliter monodisperse droplet formation using multiphase nano-microfluidics [J]. Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 2011, 11(1): 87-92.
    [13]
    JEONG W C, LIM J M, CHOI J H, et al. Controlled generation of submicron emulsion droplets via highly stable tip-streaming mode in microfluidic devices [J]. Lab on a Chip, 2012, 12(8): 1446-1453.
    [14]
    ANNA S L, MAYER H C. Microscale tip streaming in a microfluidic flow focusing device [J]. Physics of Fluids, 2006, 18(12): 121512.
    [15]
    LEE W, WALKER L M, ANNA S L. Role of geometry and fluid properties in droplet and thread formation processes in planar flow focusing [J]. Physics of Fluids, 2009, 21(3): 032103.
    [16]
    LEE W, WALKER L M, ANNA S L. Competition between viscoelasticity and surfactant dynamics in flow focusing microfluidics [J]. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 2011, 296(3/4): 203-213.
    [17]
    KIM H, LUO D, LINK D, et al. Controlled production of emulsion drops using an electric field in a flow-focusing microfluidic device [J]. Applied Physics Letters, 2007, 91(13): 133106.
    [18]
    DONG P F, XU J H, ZHAO H, et al. Preparation of 10μm scale monodispersed particles by jetting flow in coaxial microfluidic devices [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2013, 214:106-111.
    [19]
    WANG K, LU Y, XU J, et al. Generation of micromonodispersed droplets and bubbles in the capillary embedded T-junction microfluidic devices [J]. AIChE Journal, 2011, 57(2): 299-306.
    [20]
    WU P, WANG Y, LUO Z, et al. A 3D easily-assembled micro-cross for droplet generation [J]. Lab on a Chip, 2014, 14(4): 795-798.
    [21]
    XU J, LI S, TAN J, et al. Preparation of highly monodisperse droplet in a T-junction microfluidic device [J]. AIChE Journal, 2006, 52(9): 3005-3010.
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