Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic Device
Droplet microfluidics is an extremely useful and powerful tool for industrial, environmental, and biotechnological applications, due to advantages such as the small volume of reagents required, ultrahigh-throughput, precise control, and independent manipulations of each droplet. For the generation o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/12/6/662 |
| _version_ | 1797531263688507392 |
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| author | Nikita A. Filatov Anatoly A. Evstrapov Anton S. Bukatin |
| author_facet | Nikita A. Filatov Anatoly A. Evstrapov Anton S. Bukatin |
| author_sort | Nikita A. Filatov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Droplet microfluidics is an extremely useful and powerful tool for industrial, environmental, and biotechnological applications, due to advantages such as the small volume of reagents required, ultrahigh-throughput, precise control, and independent manipulations of each droplet. For the generation of monodisperse water-in-oil droplets, usually T-junction and flow-focusing microfluidic devices connected to syringe pumps or pressure controllers are used. Here, we investigated droplet-generation regimes in a flow-focusing microfluidic device induced by the negative pressure in the outlet reservoir, generated by a low-cost mini diaphragm vacuum pump. During the study, we compared two ways of adjusting the negative pressure using a compact electro-pneumatic regulator and a manual airflow control valve. The results showed that both types of regulators are suitable for the stable generation of monodisperse droplets for at least 4 h, with variations in diameter less than 1 µm. Droplet diameters at high levels of negative pressure were mainly determined by the hydrodynamic resistances of the inlet microchannels, although the absolute pressure value defined the generation frequency; however, the electro-pneumatic regulator is preferable and convenient for the accurate control of the pressure by an external electric signal, providing more stable pressure, and a wide range of droplet diameters and generation frequencies. The method of droplet generation suggested here is a simple, stable, reliable, and portable way of high-throughput production of relatively large volumes of monodisperse emulsions for biomedical applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:41:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb3179a0bf0f49eba095a33ffff68d73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:41:22Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb3179a0bf0f49eba095a33ffff68d732023-11-21T22:55:14ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2021-06-0112666210.3390/mi12060662Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic DeviceNikita A. Filatov0Anatoly A. Evstrapov1Anton S. Bukatin2Laboratory of Renewable Energy Sources, Alferov Saint Petersburg National Research Academic University of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 194021 Saint Petersburg, RussiaLaboratory of Bio and Chemosensor Microsystems, Institute for Analytical Instrumentation of RAS, 198095 Saint-Petersburg, RussiaLaboratory of Renewable Energy Sources, Alferov Saint Petersburg National Research Academic University of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 194021 Saint Petersburg, RussiaDroplet microfluidics is an extremely useful and powerful tool for industrial, environmental, and biotechnological applications, due to advantages such as the small volume of reagents required, ultrahigh-throughput, precise control, and independent manipulations of each droplet. For the generation of monodisperse water-in-oil droplets, usually T-junction and flow-focusing microfluidic devices connected to syringe pumps or pressure controllers are used. Here, we investigated droplet-generation regimes in a flow-focusing microfluidic device induced by the negative pressure in the outlet reservoir, generated by a low-cost mini diaphragm vacuum pump. During the study, we compared two ways of adjusting the negative pressure using a compact electro-pneumatic regulator and a manual airflow control valve. The results showed that both types of regulators are suitable for the stable generation of monodisperse droplets for at least 4 h, with variations in diameter less than 1 µm. Droplet diameters at high levels of negative pressure were mainly determined by the hydrodynamic resistances of the inlet microchannels, although the absolute pressure value defined the generation frequency; however, the electro-pneumatic regulator is preferable and convenient for the accurate control of the pressure by an external electric signal, providing more stable pressure, and a wide range of droplet diameters and generation frequencies. The method of droplet generation suggested here is a simple, stable, reliable, and portable way of high-throughput production of relatively large volumes of monodisperse emulsions for biomedical applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/12/6/662droplet microfluidicsflow focusingwater-in-oil dropletsnegative pressureemulsion |
| spellingShingle | Nikita A. Filatov Anatoly A. Evstrapov Anton S. Bukatin Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic Device Micromachines droplet microfluidics flow focusing water-in-oil droplets negative pressure emulsion |
| title | Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic Device |
| title_full | Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic Device |
| title_fullStr | Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic Device |
| title_full_unstemmed | Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic Device |
| title_short | Negative Pressure Provides Simple and Stable Droplet Generation in a Flow-Focusing Microfluidic Device |
| title_sort | negative pressure provides simple and stable droplet generation in a flow focusing microfluidic device |
| topic | droplet microfluidics flow focusing water-in-oil droplets negative pressure emulsion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/12/6/662 |
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