Control of pressure-driven microdroplet formation and optimum encapsulation in microfluidic system

Abstract

Formation of stable micro-droplets in multiphase flow is an important step to perform numerous microfluidic applications such as sorting experiments. We herein investigate the conditions of formation of stable micro-droplets using a flow focusing microfluidic device. Two single phases and four different multiphase flow regimes were observed depending on the pressures of fluids. By tuning sample stream pressure against fixed lower oil stream pressure, stable droplet regime can create microenvironment with a diameter ranged from 30 μm to 140 μm. Results obtained show that the formation of strictly size controlled droplets can encapsulate single cell-sized bead into droplet. Moreover, the limit between unstable and stable droplet regimes was the most suitable to efficiently encapsulate cell-sized bead in droplet sorting application. This limit can be precisely monitored by using the change of the droplet speed found at the threshold between these two regimes.