Coalescence-induced jumping of condensate droplets from a superhydrophobic surface with hierarchical micro/nanoscale roughness is quantitatively characterized. Experimental observations show that the condensate droplet jumping is induced by coalescence of multiple droplets of different sizes, and that the coalesced droplet trajectories typically deviate from the surface normal. A depth-from-def...

Using atomic force microscopy in noncontact mode, we have imaged nanometer-size liquid droplets of KOH water solutions on the surfaces of highly oriented pyrolitic graphite and mica. On graphite the droplets prefer to be adsorbed on atomic step edges. Droplets on the same step tend to be evenly spaced and of similar size. The droplets can be manipulated by the atomic force microscopy tip allowi...

We report a comparative laboratory study between 2 peripheral intravenous catheters equipped with a passive fully automatic safety mechanism to assess generation of blood droplets during withdrawal. One presented no fluid droplets, whereas the other presented droplets in 48% and 60% for the best and worst case, with analysis of variance showing positive effects on the number of droplets generat...

In this study, we introduce an optofluidic method for the rapid construction of large-area cell-sized droplet assemblies with user-defined, re-writable, two-dimensional patterns of functional droplets. Light responsive water-in-oil droplets capable of releasing fluorescent dye molecules upon exposure were generated and self-assembled into arrays inside a microfluidic device. This biological arc...

Dispersion of large deformable droplets in turbulent channel flow is investigated: the fluids are considered of same density and viscosity for a broad range of plausible values of surface tension. Droplets much larger than the Kolmogorov length scale are released in a channel flow; the turbulent flow is computed with pseudo-spectral Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS), while phase interactions a...

The delivery of suspended active ingredients to a surface is a central function of numerous commercial cosmetic, drug, and agricultural formulations. Many products use liquid droplets as a delivery vehicle but, because interfacial tension keeps droplets spherical, these materials cannot exploit the benefits of anisotropic shape and shape change offered by solid colloids. In this work, individua...

Micronized droplets of olive oil loaded with docetaxel (1.0 mg.ml(-1)) and coated with fibrinogen were prepared and then characterized for physicochemical and cytotoxic properties in vitro and anticancer activity in vivo. The droplets remain readily dispersible and relatively stable in size for at least 24 h when stored at 4 degrees C. During storage, the fibrinogen remains bound to the droplet...

Microdroplets in microfluidic systems can be used as independent microreactors to perform a range of chemical and biological reactions. However, in order to add new reagents to pre-formed droplets at defined times, to start, modify, or terminate a reaction, it is necessary to perform a controlled fusion with a second droplet. We describe and characterize a simple and extremely reliable techniqu...

Respiratory infections can be spread via 'contact' with droplets from expiratory activities such as talking, coughing and sneezing, and also from aerosol-generating clinical procedures. Droplet sizes predominately determine the times they can remain airborne, the possibility of spread of infectious diseases and thus the strategies for controlling the infections. While significant inconsistencie...

We report a study of the wetting and ordering of thermotropic liquid crystal (LC) droplets that are trapped (or "caged") within micrometer-sized cationic polymeric microcapsules dispersed in aqueous solutions of surfactants. When they were initially dispersed in water, we observed caged, nearly spherical droplets of E7, a nematic LC mixture, to occupy ∼40% of the interior volume of the polymeri...