Microfluidic device and method for emulsion switching
OwnerHee-Sun HAN, Thomas W. COWELLinventors
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Abstract
A microfluidic device for emulsion switching includes a channel comprising: an inlet for injection of double emulsion droplets; an emulsion switching feature downstream of the inlet for converting the double emulsion droplets directly or indirectly into single emulsion droplets; a manipulation portion downstream of the emulsion switching feature for manipulating and/or modifying the single emulsion droplets, the manipulation portion including a non-wetting inner surface configured to avoid wetting of the single emulsion droplets; and a reforming portion downstream of the manipulation portion for reforming double emulsion droplets from the manipulated or modified single emulsion droplets.
Claims20
A microfluidic device for emulsion switching, the microfluidic device comprising:
- a channel comprising:
- an inlet for injection of double emulsion droplets;
- an emulsion switching feature downstream of the inlet for converting the double emulsion droplets directly or indirectly into single emulsion droplets;
- a manipulation portion downstream of the emulsion switching feature for manipulating and/or modifying the single emulsion droplets, the manipulation portion including a non-wetting inner surface configured to avoid wetting of the single emulsion droplets;
- and
- a reforming portion downstream of the manipulation portion.
A method for emulsion switching, the method comprising:
- injecting double emulsion droplets into an inlet of a channel, the double emulsion droplets flowing downstream in the channel;
- converting the double emulsion droplets directly or indirectly into single emulsion droplets, the single emulsion droplets continuing to flow downstream in the channel;
- manipulating and/or modifying the single emulsion droplets in a spacing fluid during the flow downstream;
- after the manipulation and/or modification, reforming double emulsion droplets from the single emulsion droplets in a dispersing fluid, the reformed double emulsion droplets continuing to flow downstream in the channel;
- and
- collecting the reformed double emulsion droplets from an outlet of the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.