Real-time size modulation and synchronization of a microfluidic dropmaker with pulsed surface acoustic waves (SAW).

ABSTRACT: We show that a microfluidic flow focusing drop maker can be synchronized to a surface acoustic waves (SAW) triggered by an external electric signal. In this way droplet rate and volume can be controlled over a wide range of values in real time. Using SAW, the drop formation rate of a regularly operating water in oil drop maker without SAW can be increased by acoustically enforcing the drop pinch-off and thereby reducing the volume. Drop makers of square cross-sections (w = h = 30 µm, with width w and height h) that produce large drops of length l = 10 w can be triggered to produce drops as short as l ~ 2w, approaching the geometical limit l = w without changing the flow rates. Unlike devices that adjust drop size by changing the flow rates the acoustic dropmaker has very short transients a

SUBMITTER: Schmid L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5852020 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature