Plug-n-play microfluidic systems from flexible assembly of glass-based flow-control modules

Area of Science:

• Microfluidics
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Microfluidic devices are crucial for precise fluid manipulation.
• Generating complex multiple emulsions often requires intricate and non-versatile systems.
• Existing methods can be limited in scalability and ease of modification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a simple, versatile, and plug-and-play microfluidic system for emulsion generation.
• To demonstrate the flexible assembly of modular components for creating diverse microfluidic setups.
• To enable controllable generation of various higher-order multiple emulsions.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a microfluidic system using glass-based flow-control modules, positioning grooves, and connection fasteners.
• Flexible assembly of modular units for creating versatile microfluidic configurations.
• Demonstration of flow manipulation for generating double, triple, and quadruple emulsions.

Main Results:

• The system allows for the scalable and controllable generation of multiple emulsions, from double to quadruple emulsions.
• Flexible flow manipulation within the modules enables precise control over drop size and internal composition.
• The modular design facilitates easy disassembly, scale-up, and functionalization.

Conclusions:

• The developed modular microfluidic system offers significant flexibility and versatility for emulsion generation.
• This plug-and-play approach simplifies the creation of complex emulsion structures.
• The system holds potential for enhanced and extended applications in various fields requiring precise emulsion control.