Droplet-Based Microfluidics

Abstract

Droplet-based microfluidics or digital microfluidics is a subclass of microfluidic devices, wherein droplets are generated using active or passive methods. The active method for generation of droplets involves the use of an external factor such as an electric field for droplet generation. Two techniques that fall in this category are dielectrophoresis (DEP) and electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD). In passive methods, the droplet generation depends on the geometry and dimensions of the device. T-junction and flow focusing methods are examples of passive methods used for generation of droplets. In this chapter the methods used for droplet generation, mixing of contents of droplets, and the manipulation of droplets are described in brief. A review of the applications of digital microfluidics with emphasis on the last decade is presented.

Hierarchical micro and nano structured, hydrophilic, superhydrophobic and superoleophobic surfaces incorporated in microfluidics, microarrays and lab on chip microsystems

“…Draper et al incorporated prepatterned superhydrophobic surfaces inside microfluidics to allow movement, acceleration, merging and other control functions for droplets [147]. The field of droplet microfluidics (also called digital microfluidics) has been reviewed recently by Sharma et al [148] focusing on dielectrophoresis (DEP) and electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD), while applications in chemistry were reviewed by Choi et al [149].…”

DRAFT - Robotic automation of production and the recovery of cell spheroids

“…A major microfluidic technology platform is droplet microfluidics. It is a high-throughput sample processing and analysis method enabled by miniaturizing the reaction vessels to nanoor pico-liter droplets 8 . Droplet microfluidics relies on structured compartmentalization of immiscible liquids, e.g.…”

“…These tiny cell-scale compartments produced with high size accuracy, allow for millions of individual biological events 11 or chemical reactions to take place simultaneously 12 , mostly chemically and physically separated 13 . Various microfluidic chip types are used in droplet microfluidics to form, merge, inject into, analyze, and sort millions of droplets quickly and efficiently 8 . In biology, droplet microfluidics is used in multiple applications including metabolic pathways interaction studies 14 , single-cell genomics 15,16 and transcriptomics 17 , digital droplet PCR 18 , direct microbe evolution 19 , as well as cell spheroid formation including cell aggregation in confined environment 20,21 or cell encapsulation in hydrogels 22 .…”

Study of flow behaviors of droplet merging and splitting in microchannels using Micro-PIV measurement

“…Droplet-based microfluidics has attracted more and more research attentions (Dou et al 2016; Baroud et al 2010; Chen et al 2015; Wu et al 2015; Whitesides 2006) and has very significant potential for material science applications and chemical and biological applications (Sharma et al 2013; Seemann et al 2012; Schneider et al 2013; Rosenfeld et al 2014; Chou et al 2015). Taking advantage of flow dynamics of microdroplets in microchannels (Stone et al 2004), microdroplets can provide unique physical and chemical contrasts with the outer medium (Baroud et al 2010).…”