Microfluidic large-scale integration on a chip for mass production of monodisperse droplets and particles

Lab Chip. 2008 Feb;8(2):287-93. doi: 10.1039/b713141k. Epub 2007 Nov 23.

Abstract

In this study, we report the mass production of monodisperse emulsion droplets and particles using microfluidic large-scale integration on a chip. The production module comprises a glass microfluidic chip with planar microfabricated 16-256 droplet-formation units (DFUs) and a palm-sized stainless steel holder having several layers for supplying liquids into the inlets of the mounted chip. By using a module having 128 cross-junctions (i.e., 256 DFUs) arranged circularly on a 4 cm x 4 cm chip, we could produce droplets of photopolymerizable acrylate monomer at a throughput of 320.0 mL h(-1). The product was monodisperse, having a mean diameter of 96.4 microm, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 1.3%. Subsequent UV polymerization off the module yielded monodisperse acrylic microspheres at a throughput of approximately 0.3 kg h(-1). Another module having 128 co-flow geometries could produce biphasic Janus droplets of black and white segments at 128.0 mL h(-1). The product had a mean diameter of 142.3 microm, with a CV of 3.3%. This co-flow module could also be applied in the mass production of homogeneous monomer droplets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Emulsions / chemical synthesis*
  • Emulsions / chemistry*
  • Equipment Design
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Microspheres*
  • Particle Size

Substances

  • Emulsions