A microfluidic platform for on-demand formation and merging of microdroplets using electric control
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Published on: December 1, 2023
Hao Gu1, Chandrashekhar U Murade, Michael H G Duits
1Physics of Complex Fluids, Faculty of Science and Technology, IMPACT and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
We discuss a microfluidic system in which (programmable) local electric fields originating from embedded and protected electrodes are used to control the formation and merging of droplets in a microchannel. The creation of droplets-on-demand (DOD) is implemented using the principle of electrowetting. Combined with hydrodynamic control, the droplet size and formation frequency can be varied independently. Using two synchronized DOD injectors, merging-on-demand (MOD) is achieved via electrocoalescence. The efficiency of MOD is 98% based on hundreds of observations. These two functionalities can be activated independently.
