A microfluidic device for self-synchronised production of droplets

Ruchi Gupta; Sara J. Baldock; Pilar Carreras; Peter R. Fielden; Nick J. Goddard; Stephan Mohr; Behnam S. Razavi; Bernard J. Treves Brown

doi:10.1039/c1lc20695h

A microfluidic device for self-synchronised production of droplets

Ruchi Gupta, Sara J. Baldock, Pilar Carreras, Peter R. Fielden, Nick J. Goddard, Stephan Mohr, Behnam S. Razavi, Bernard J. Treves Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The primary requirement for a mixing operation in droplet-based microfluidic devices is an accurate pairing of droplets of reaction fluids over an extended period of time. In this paper, a novel device for self-synchronous production of droplets has been demonstrated. The device uses a change in impedance across a pair of electrodes introduced due to the passage of a pre-formed droplet to generate a second droplet at a second pair of electrodes. The device was characterised using image analysis. Droplets with a volume of ∼23.5 ± 3.1 nl (i.e. ∼93% of the volume of pre-formed droplets) were produced on applying a voltage of 500 V. The synchronisation efficiency of the device was 83%. As the device enables self-synchronised production of droplets, it has a potential to increase the reliability and robustness of mixing operations in droplet-based microfluidic devices. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4052-4056
Number of pages	4
Journal	Lab on a Chip: miniaturisation for chemistry, physics, biology, materials science and bioengineering
Volume	11
Issue number	23
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c1lc20695h
Publication status	Published - 7 Dec 2011

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10.1039/c1lc20695h

http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C1LC20695H

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title = "A microfluidic device for self-synchronised production of droplets",

abstract = "The primary requirement for a mixing operation in droplet-based microfluidic devices is an accurate pairing of droplets of reaction fluids over an extended period of time. In this paper, a novel device for self-synchronous production of droplets has been demonstrated. The device uses a change in impedance across a pair of electrodes introduced due to the passage of a pre-formed droplet to generate a second droplet at a second pair of electrodes. The device was characterised using image analysis. Droplets with a volume of ∼23.5 ± 3.1 nl (i.e. ∼93% of the volume of pre-formed droplets) were produced on applying a voltage of 500 V. The synchronisation efficiency of the device was 83%. As the device enables self-synchronised production of droplets, it has a potential to increase the reliability and robustness of mixing operations in droplet-based microfluidic devices. {\textcopyright} 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.",

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AU - Gupta, Ruchi

AU - Baldock, Sara J.

AU - Carreras, Pilar

AU - Fielden, Peter R.

AU - Goddard, Nick J.

AU - Mohr, Stephan

AU - Razavi, Behnam S.

AU - Treves Brown, Bernard J.

PY - 2011/12/7

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AB - The primary requirement for a mixing operation in droplet-based microfluidic devices is an accurate pairing of droplets of reaction fluids over an extended period of time. In this paper, a novel device for self-synchronous production of droplets has been demonstrated. The device uses a change in impedance across a pair of electrodes introduced due to the passage of a pre-formed droplet to generate a second droplet at a second pair of electrodes. The device was characterised using image analysis. Droplets with a volume of ∼23.5 ± 3.1 nl (i.e. ∼93% of the volume of pre-formed droplets) were produced on applying a voltage of 500 V. The synchronisation efficiency of the device was 83%. As the device enables self-synchronised production of droplets, it has a potential to increase the reliability and robustness of mixing operations in droplet-based microfluidic devices. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

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A microfluidic device for self-synchronised production of droplets

Abstract

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