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Microfluidics application note

Digital microfluidics: droplet generation inside a microfluidic chip

Digital microfluidics: droplet generation with pressure-driven microfluidic flow-control

Microfluidics allows to produce droplets with a precise control & reproducibility over the experiment’s parameters. This precise control enables the generation of size-controlled and high monodispersity droplets.

Droplets generation covers many field of application from emulsion production, single cell analysis, microreactors, drug delivery to nanoparticles synthesis.

This application note on “digital microfluidics: droplet generation” will review the formation of droplets using two different techniques: Cross-flowing &  flow focusing.  The key difference between the two methods is the microfluidic chip design, whereas the fluidic system stays the same. The experimental setup employed in this system will be presented. The importance of  pressure-driven flow controlled microfluidics for droplet generation will be highlighted.

 

To discover, the working principle of pressure-driven flow controlled microfluidics, please watch the video below!

COMPONENTS LIST

Digital microfluidics: droplet generation – The droplet generation pack has been designed to fit most common researchers’ droplet generation needs. Feel free to contact us to discuss about your technical challenges and our team of experts will adapt the pack and chip to your particular research application.

Common specifications obtained with the easy generation droplet pack:

  • Up to 10 000 droplets/sec
  • Flow rate: from 0.1 µL/min to 5 mL/min
  • Droplet size dispersion: 0.3%
  • Change of droplets content : 100 ms
For further insight into droplet-based microfluidics, please refer to our droplet microfluidics userguide!

SETUP DIAGRAM

This following diagram shows the microfluidic setup used in this application note. The experiments shown in this application note were realized only with Elveflow’s instruments and accessories. For advice on your research project and experimental needs, do not hesitate to consult our team of specialists.

digital microfluidics: droplet generation Microfluidic droplets generation on a microfluidic chip

Digital microfluidics: Droplet generation | PROTOCOL & RESULTS

The most common methods in order to create microfluidic droplets are using T-shape or flow focusing chips. In both cases, the mechanism remains the same: two different phases (oil and water) and special flow conditions are needed.

The frequency and the size of the droplet depend on the inlet flow rate ratio and the stability of the droplet depends on the stability of the flow. Pressure-driven flow controlled microfluidics enables a precise control over the pressure/flows and thus steady and homogeneous droplet generation, ad consecutive droplet stability. 

Moreover, the Elveflow® Smart Interface is a user-friendly software that will allow you to easily perform different experiments of droplets generation. You will easily adjust the pressure applied on oil and water in order to control the size and frequency of the droplets.

Small sized droplet generation

Medium sized droplet generation

Live droplet size tuning

Thanks to the fast response time of pressure-driven flow controlled microfluidics, it’s possible to quickly change the flow conditions and to adjust accordingly the droplet shape within a few seconds! Interested in digital microfluidics: droplet generation? You might want to look at this droplet generation and manipulation application note.

Want to run a similar experiment? Feel free to contact us at: contact@elveflow.com
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