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Microfluidic Droplet-Storage Array
Hoon Suk Rho1,2, Han Gardeniers2
1Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Micromachines
|June 27, 2020
Summary
This study demonstrates a microfluidic droplet-storage array for continuous operation, enabling precise control and flexible manipulation of water-in-oil droplets for complex chemical and biologic reactions.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Microfluidic devices offer precise control over small fluid volumes.
- Efficient droplet manipulation and storage are crucial for complex assays.
- Existing platforms often lack continuous operation and flexible handling capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a microfluidic droplet-storage array with continuous operation capabilities.
- To enable flexible manipulation, including storage, repositioning, retrieval, injection, and restoration of droplets.
- To showcase the platform's potential for sequential dosing in droplet-based reactors.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a microfluidic chip with four valve-assisted droplet generators and a 3x16 droplet-storage array.
- Integration of pneumatically actuated microvalves for precise control of aqueous phase dispensing and carrier fluid flow.
- Validation of droplet size under various operating conditions (pressures, dispensing time).
- Demonstration of flexible droplet addressing, storage, and rearrangement within the array.
- Performance of serial injections into retrieved droplets for sequential dosing.
Main Results:
- Continuous operation of droplet formation, storage, repositioning, retrieval, injection, and restoration was achieved.
- Precise control over water-in-oil droplet manipulation was enabled by microvalves.
- Droplet size was validated across different operating parameters.
- Flexible droplet addressing and rearrangement within the storage array were successfully demonstrated.
- Sequential dosing into incubated droplet-based reactors was performed.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic droplet-storage array provides high flexibility and freedom in droplet handling.
- The platform is suitable for performing complex chemical and biologic reactions requiring incubation and sequential dosing.
- This technology has significant potential for advanced applications in drug discovery and diagnostics.
