Metal electrode based 3D printed device for tuning microfluidic droplet generation frequency and synchronizing phase for serial femtosecond crystallography

A 3-D printed water-in-oil droplet generator device, the device comprising:

• an oil phase inlet channel;
• an aqueous phase inlet channel;
• a droplet flow outlet channel;
• and
• two embedded non-contact electrodes,
• wherein the oil phase inlet channel, the aqueous phase inlet channel, and the droplet flow outlet channel are connected at a junction within the water-in-oil droplet generator device,
• wherein the junction includes a linear channel section in which the oil phase inlet channel is coaxially coupled to the droplet flow outlet channel,
• wherein the two embedded non-contact electrodes are positioned on opposite sides of the linear channel section of the junction such that the two embedded non-contact electrodes are arranged on an axis that intersects the linear channel section,
• wherein the aqueous phase inlet channel is connected to the junction at the linear channel section, and
• wherein the axis between the two embedded non-contact electrodes intersects the linear channel section of the junction at a location where the aqueous phase inlet channel connects to the oil phase inlet channel.