scholarly journals Modeling of Droplet Generation in a Microfluidic Flow-Focusing Junction for Droplet Size Control

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 590
Author(s):  
Ali M. Ibrahim ◽  
Jose I. Padovani ◽  
Roger T. Howe ◽  
Yasser H. Anis
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Droplet Size ◽  
Size Control ◽  
Continuous Phase ◽  
Immiscible Fluids ◽  
Droplet Generation ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Microfluidic Flow

In this paper, we study the parameters that affect the generation of droplets in a microfluidic flow-focusing junction. Droplets are evaluated based on the size and frequency of generation. Droplet size control is essential for microfluidic lab-on-a-chip applications in biology, chemistry, and medicine. We developed a three-dimensional numerical model that can emulate the performance of the physical system. A numerical model can help design droplet-generation chips with new junction geometries, different dispersed and continuous phase types, and different flow rates. Our model uses a conservative level-set method (LSM) to track the interface between two immiscible fluids using a fixed mesh. Water was used for the dispersed phase and mineral oil for the continuous phase. The effects of the continuous-to-dispersed flow rate ratio (Qo/Qw) and the surfactant concentration on the droplet generation were studied both using the numerical model and experimentally. The numerical model was found to render results that are in good agreement with the experimental ones, which validates the LSM model. The validated numerical model was used to study the time effect of changing Qo/Qw on the generated droplet size. Properly timing when the flow rates are changed enables control over the size of the next generated droplet, which is useful for single-droplet size modulation applications.

scholarly journals Prediction of Droplet Production Speed by Measuring the Droplet Spacing Fluctuations in a Flow-Focusing Microdroplet Generator

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Zeng ◽  
Dong Xiang ◽  
Hai Fu
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Efficient Method ◽  
Immiscible Fluids ◽  
Droplet Generation ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Droplet Production ◽  
Monodisperse Droplets

In a flow-focusing microdroplet generator, by changing the flow rates of the two immiscible fluids, production speed can be increased from tens to thousands of droplets per second. However, because of the nonlinearity of the flow-focusing microdroplet generator, the production speed of droplets is difficult to quantitatively study for the typical flow-focusing geometry. In this paper, we demonstrate an efficient method that can precisely predict the droplet production speed for a wide range of fluid flow rates. While monodisperse droplets are formed in the flow-focusing microchannel, droplet spacing as a function of time was measured experimentally. We discovered that droplet spacing changes periodically with time during each process of droplet generation. By comparing the frequency of droplet spacing fluctuations with the droplet production speed, precise predictions of droplet production speed can be obtained for different flow conditions in the flow-focusing microdroplet generator.

scholarly journals Breakup Dynamics of Semi-dilute Polymer Solutions in a Microfluidic Flow-focusing Device

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 406
Author(s):  
Chun-Dong Xue ◽  
Xiao-Dong Chen ◽  
Yong-Jiang Li ◽  
Guo-Qing Hu ◽  
Tun Cao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relaxation Time ◽  
Polymer Solutions ◽  
Newtonian Fluids ◽  
Droplet Microfluidics ◽  
Droplet Generation ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Polymeric Fluids ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Dilute Polymer Solutions ◽  
Microfluidic Flow

Droplet microfluidics involving non-Newtonian fluids is of great importance in both fundamental mechanisms and practical applications. In the present study, breakup dynamics in droplet generation of semi-dilute polymer solutions in a microfluidic flow-focusing device were experimentally investigated. We found that the filament thinning experiences a transition from a flow-driven to a capillary-driven regime, analogous to that of purely elastic fluids, while the highly elevated viscosity and complex network structures in the semi-dilute polymer solutions induce the breakup stages with a smaller power-law exponent and extensional relaxation time. It is elucidated that the elevated viscosity of the semi-dilute solution decelerates filament thinning in the flow-driven regime and the incomplete stretch of polymer molecules results in the smaller extensional relaxation time in the capillary-driven regime. These results extend the understanding of breakup dynamics in droplet generation of non-Newtonian fluids and provide guidance for microfluidic synthesis applications involving dense polymeric fluids.

Preparation of All-Trans-Retinoic Acid-Loaded mPEG-PLGA Nanoparticles Using Microfluidic Flow-Focusing Device for Controlled Drug Delivery

NANO ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (08) ◽  
pp. 2050101
Author(s):  
Mojdeh Safari ◽  
Amir Amani ◽  
Tajudeen Adebileje ◽  
Jafar Ai ◽  
Seyed Mahdi Rezayat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Retinoic Acid ◽  
Plga Nanoparticles ◽  
Process Conditions ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Trans Retinoic Acid ◽  
All Trans Retinoic Acid ◽  
Microfluidic Flow ◽  
Minimum Particle Size

In recent years, microfluidic devices present unique advantages for the development of a new generation of nanoparticle synthesis method compared to bulk methods. In this study, we report a microfluidic flow-focusing method for the production of all trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-loaded methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactide-coglycolide) (mPEG-PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs). Box–Behnken experimental design (BBD) was applied to optimize of formulation ingredients and process conditions with minimum particle size, maximum drug loading% (DL%) and encapsulation efficiency% (EE%). Polymer concentration, drug concentration and flow rates of solvent (S) and antisolvent (AS) were selected as independent variables. Based on optimization strategy, minimum particle size achieved shows average (SD) particle size of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm with DL of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]wt.% and EE of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]wt.%, respectively. While maximum DL has been reported to be [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]wt.% with particle size of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm and EE of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]wt.%, respectively. Moreover, the results have shown that the AS/S ratio represents the most significant effect on particle size. Indeed, increasing the AS flow rate directly results in generating smaller particles. The AS/S ratio represents the least significant effect on DL%, such that, at fixed flow rates, higher DL was observed at high concentration of drug and lower concentration of polymer. In conclusion, optimization of the ATRA-loaded mPEG-PLGA NPs by BBD yielded in a favorable drug carrier for ATRA that could provide a new treatment modality for different malignancies.

scholarly journals Drop formation in microfluidic cross-junction: jetting to dripping to jetting transition

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina M. Kovalchuk ◽  
Masanobu Sagisaka ◽  
Kasparas Steponavicius ◽  
Daniele Vigolo ◽  
Mark J. H. Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Capillary Number ◽  
Continuous Phase ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio ◽  
Dispersed Phase ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Jet Formation ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Power Law Function ◽  
Dispersed Phases

AbstractThe regimes of drop generation were studied in a Dolomite microfluidic device which combined both hydrodynamic and geometrical flow focusing over a broad range of flow rates. A series of aqueous dispersed phases were used with a viscosity ratio between continuous and dispersed phases of close to unity. Surfactants were added to alter the interfacial tension. It was shown that the transition from dripping to jetting is well described by the capillary numbers of both the dispersed and continuous phases. Only the jetting regime was observed if the capillary number of the dispersed phase was above a critical value, whereas at smaller values of this parameter a jetting → dripping → jetting transition was observed by increasing the capillary number of the continuous phase. The analysis performed has shown that the conditions for a dripping to jetting transition at moderate and large values of the capillary number of the continuous phase can be predicted theoretically by comparison of the characteristic time scales for drop pinch-off and jet growth, whereas the transition at small values cannot. It is suggested that this transition is geometry mediated and is a result of the interplay of jet confinement in the focusing part and a decrease of confinement following entry into the main channel. The flow fields inside the jet of the dispersed phase were qualitatively different for small and large values of the capillary number of the continuous phase revealing the relative contribution of the dispersed phase flow in jet formation. The volume of the drops formed in the jetting regime increased as a power law function of the flow rate ratio of the dispersed to continuous phase, independent of the interfacial tension.

scholarly journals Controlling Shapes in a Coaxial Flow Focusing Microfluidic Device: Experiments and Theory

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Romen Rodriguez-Trujillo ◽  
Yu-Han Kim-Im ◽  
Aurora Hernandez-Machado
Keyword(s):  
Microfluidic Device ◽  
Soft Lithography ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Outer Flow ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Fluorescein Solution ◽  
Elliptical Section ◽  
Additional Water ◽  
And Control

A coaxial flow focusing PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) microfluidic device has been designed and manufactured by soft lithography in order to experimentally study a miscible inner flow. We studied a coaxially focused inner flow (formed by an aqueous fluorescein solution) which was fully isolated from all microchannel surfaces by an additional water outer flow. Different flow rates were used to produce a variety of flow ratios and a 3D reconstruction of the cross-section was performed using confocal microscope images. The results showed an elliptical section of the coaxially focused inner flow that changes in shape depending on the flow rate ratio applied. We have also developed a mathematical model that allows us to predict and control the geometry of the coaxially focused inner flow.

scholarly journals Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Droplet Generation in a Microfluidic Cross-Junction

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1235-1256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haihu Liu ◽  
Yonghao Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Droplet Size ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Lattice Boltzmann ◽  
Capillary Number ◽  
Rate Ratio ◽  
Viscosity Ratio ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Continuous Phase ◽  
Viscous Force ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio

AbstractUsing the lattice Boltzmann multiphase model, numerical simulations have been performed to understand the dynamics of droplet formation in a microfluidic cross-junction. The influence of capillary number, flow rate ratio, viscosity ratio, and viscosity of the continuous phase on droplet formation has been systematically studied over a wide range of capillary numbers. Two different regimes, namely the squeezinglike regime and the dripping regime, are clearly identified with the transition occurring at a critical capillary number Cacr. Generally, large flow rate ratio is expected to produce big droplets, while increasing capillary number will reduce droplet size. In the squeezing-like regime (Ca ≤ Cacr), droplet breakup process is dominated by the squeezing pressure and the viscous force; while in the dripping regime (Ca ≤ Cacr), the viscous force is dominant and the droplet size becomes independent of the flow rate ratio as the capillary number increases. In addition, the droplet size weakly depends on the viscosity ratio in both regimes and decreases when the viscosity of the continuous phase increases. Finally, a scaling law is established to predict the droplet size.

Electrowetting-controlled droplet generation in a microfluidic flow-focusing device

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (46) ◽  
pp. 462101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florent Malloggi ◽  
Siva A Vanapalli ◽  
Hao Gu ◽  
Dirk van den Ende ◽  
Frieder Mugele
Keyword(s):  
Droplet Generation ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Microfluidic Flow

Effect of Intersection Angle and Wettability on Droplet Generation in Microfluidic Flow-Focusing Device

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saima Iqbal ◽  
Shazia Bashir ◽  
Muhammad Ahsan ◽  
Muhammad Bashir ◽  
Saad Shoukat
Keyword(s):  
Contact Angle ◽  
Droplet Breakup ◽  
Droplet Generation ◽  
Maximum Diameter ◽  
Generation Process ◽  
Flow Focusing ◽  
Intersection Angle ◽  
Droplet Shape ◽  
Vof Model ◽  
Microfluidic Flow

Abstract This article investigates the dynamics of droplet generation process in a microfluidic flow-focusing device under the effect of geometry altered by the intersection angle (φ), which the flanking inlets make with central inlet and wall wettability quantified by the contact angle (θ) using volume of fluid (VOF) model. These parameters have been found to alter the droplet shape and size greatly. The effect of intersection angles has been examined for φ = 15 deg, 30 deg, 45 deg, 60 deg, 90 deg, and 120 deg for generating size-controlled droplets. It was predicted that the diameter of droplet increased with the increase in intersection angle (φ = 15 deg, 30 deg, 45 deg, 60 deg, 90 deg, and 120 deg) and the maximum diameter has been generated at φ = 90. In addition, the wetting characteristics (hydrophilic to hydrophobic) have been studied numerically in detail by changing the contact angle of the dispersed phase with the channel wall ranging from 90 deg to 180 deg. It was indicated that the droplets of rectangular shape are formed in hydrophilic channel by completely wetting the wall when θ ≤ 90 deg. They transform their shape to slightly oval form with the increase in contact angle and start acquiring spherical shape when the channel becomes hydrophobic. Furthermore, Parameters such as dimensionless droplet diameter, droplet shape, and droplet breakup time have also been investigated extensively for flowrate ratios Q = 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1, in order to optimize the microfluidic device.

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