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Towards Functional Droplet Architectures: a Belousov-Zhabotinsky Medium for Networks
Kai Ming Chang1, Maurits R R de Planque1, Klaus-Peter Zauner2
1Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom.
Scientific Reports
|August 25, 2018
Summary
Researchers developed stable, interacting droplet networks for novel chemical systems. A modified Belousov-Zhabotinsky medium enabled wave propagation between droplets, paving the way for scalable functional droplet networks.
Area of Science:
- Chemical systems
- Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
- Biomimetic architectures
Background:
- Droplet-compartmentalised systems offer a novel technology mimicking cellular architecture.
- Achieving long-term stability and interdroplet communication is crucial for droplet technology development.
- The Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) medium is a well-established model for non-equilibrium chemical reactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the parameter space of the BZ medium in droplet form for stability and communication.
- To explore conditions enabling interdroplet wave propagation in compartmentalised chemical systems.
- To develop scalable, functional droplet networks mimicking biological systems.
Main Methods:
- Pipetting 2.5 mm BZ medium droplets in hexadecane oil.
- Utilising asolectin lipids to form arrays of contacted BZ droplets.
- Employing laser-cut acrylic templates for parallel experiments and automated image analysis.
- Testing variations of the BZ medium, including malonic acid and a mixed-substrate formulation with 1,4-cyclohexanedione.
Main Results:
- Asolectin lipids facilitated the formation of stable arrays of contacted BZ droplets.
- Conventional malonic acid BZ medium did not support wave propagation between droplets.
- A mixed-substrate BZ medium (malonic acid and 1,4-cyclohexanedione) enabled wave propagation across droplet-droplet interfaces.
- Networks of nearly 400 droplets in template-defined topologies demonstrated stability.
Conclusions:
- The developed template-assisted method enables the creation of stable, large-scale droplet networks.
- The mixed-substrate BZ medium is key to achieving interdroplet communication via wave propagation.
- These findings provide a foundation for developing scalable functional droplet networks with potential applications in biomimetic systems.
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