Interfacial Tension Driven Open Droplet Microfluidics

Droplet microfluidics enables compartmentalized reactions in small scales and is utilized for a variety of applications across chemical analysis, material science, biology. While droplet successful technology, barriers include high “activation energy” to develop custom complex peripheral equipment. These limit the adoption labs or prototyping environments. This work demonstrates first time an open channel microfluidic system that autonomously generates droplets at low capillary numbers. Hundreds are produced run using only channel, pipettes, commercially available carrier fluid. Conceptual showcase process generation, splitting, transport, incubation, mixing, sorting demonstrated. The nature device use physical tools such as tweezers styli directly access system; with this, new method transfer unique systems platform offers enhanced usability, direct contents, easy manufacturability, compact footprint, customizability. design step exploring space power-free provides rules similar designs.