Continuous-flow, well mixed, microfluidic crystallization device for screening polymorphs, morphologies and crystallization kinetics at controlled supersaturation

A microfluidic system comprising:

• (a) a microfluidic chamber comprising:
• (i) a first inlet zone in fluid communication with a first inlet adapted to receive a first fluid stream comprising a solute dissolved in a solvent,
• (ii) a second inlet zone in fluid communication with a second inlet adapted to receive a second fluid stream,
• (iii) a passive mixing zone having (A) a first mixing zone boundary and (B) a second mixing zone boundary separate from the first mixing zone boundary, the passive mixing zone being in fluid communication with the first inlet zone via the first mixing zone boundary and the second inlet zone via the first mixing zone boundary, (iv) a trap zone having a trap zone boundary in fluid communication with the second mixing zone boundary, wherein the trap zone is positioned within the microfluidic chamber such that fluid flowing through the microfluidic chamber has a sufficiently low velocity, and configured to retain solute crystals formed in the trap zone within the trap zone, (v) an outlet zone in fluid communication (A) with the passive mixing zone via the first mixing zone boundary, and (B) an outlet adapted to discharge fluid from the microfluidic chamber, and
• (vi) a first temperature control means configured to adjust the temperature of the first fluid stream to a first pre-selected value before entering the passive mixing zone.