Title: Development of a microfluidic flow-focusing droplet generating device utilising rapid prototyping technique

Authors: Loc Pham Xuan; Loc Do Quang; Tuan Vu Quoc; Cuong Nguyen Nhu; Hang Nguyen Thu; Hang Tran Thanh; An Nguyen Ngoc; Tung Thanh Bui; Trinh Chu Duc

Addresses: Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Faculty of Physics, University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334, Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Institute of Applied Physics and Scientific Instrument, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Ha Noi, 10000, Vietnam ' Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam ' Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunication, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144, Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam

Abstract: In the recent decades, droplet-based microfluidics has emerged as a promising research area which covers various applications in a broad spectrum of fields such as chemical reactions, drug discovery, molecule synthesis and cell biology. This study proposes the implementation of a microfluidic droplet generating prototype using the popular flow-focusing geometry. The proposed system is fabricated based on a rapid prototyping technique, which significantly simplifies the fabrication process, reduces the production cost and shortens the time-to-market as compared with traditional techniques. The functionalities and characteristics of the prototype were carefully verified by simulations and practical experiments. The obtained results showed that the generation of droplets could be precisely controlled by adjusting the flow rate ratio between the dispersed phase and the continuous phase.

Keywords: rapid prototyping; microfluidic; droplet generation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2020.111335

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2020 Vol.17 No.7/8/9/10, pp.708 - 721

Published online: 20 Nov 2020 *

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