Method of forming a liquid-liquid mixing phase channel group, method of controlling the formation and extinguishment of a liquid-liquid mixing phase channel group, and module therefor

A method of controlling formation and extinguishment of a liquid-liquid mixing phase channel group in a light liquid phase and a heavy liquid phase, by using a container which comprises a cylindrical central part where two immiscible light and heavy liquid phases oppose each other at an interface, and a liquid-liquid mixing phase of the two immiscible light and heavy liquid phases is generated by droplet ejection and is developed through a cylindrical horizontal part;

• a cylindrical narrow passage arranged vertically in a destination of the liquid-liquid mixing phase developed through the cylindrical horizontal part;
• and a cylindrical cross-sectional area expansion part arranged beyond the cylindrical narrow passage, the method comprising:
• ejecting the light liquid phase or the heavy liquid phase as droplets into the heavy liquid phase or the light liquid phase, respectively;
• causing a jet of the droplets to collide with the interface, forming droplets in the light liquid phase or the heavy liquid phase accompanied with the heavy liquid phase or the light liquid phase around the droplets of the light liquid phase or the heavy liquid phase, respectively, in the light liquid phase or the heavy liquid phase, and growing a layer of droplets above and below the interface starting from the interface;
• forming a continuous liquid-liquid mixing phase channel in which gaps between the droplets of the light liquid phase or the heavy liquid phase layered by growth are filled with the heavy liquid phase or the light liquid phase, respectively;
• guiding the continuous liquid-liquid mixing phase channel through the cylindrical horizontal part;
• and then
• extinguishing the liquid-liquid mixing phase channel by guiding the horizontally guided liquid-liquid mixing channel to the cylindrical narrow passage and then to the cylindrical cross-sectional area expansion part.