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807 1
 Introduction to
droplet-based
microfluidics
Aurélie Vigne, PhD
Leslie Labarre, PhD

Replay of the webinar

https://youtu.be/73EVh2mwSnk

June 11th 2020

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Elveflow
Our mission
● To develop state-of-the-art microfluidic instruments for
demanding researchers

Being researchers ourselves…

● To boost scientific discoveries and allow every researcher to
make great breakthroughs in every scientific field requiring
microfluidics
Aurélie Vigne, PhD Leslie Labarre, PhD
Scientific Director Microfluidics Acquisition & Application
manager
PhD thesis:
“Microfluidic tools for the PhD thesis:
engineering of enzymes of “Investigation of foam stability
therapeutic interest”, with microfluidics”,
University of Bordeaux University of Birmingham.
To learn more about Elvesys

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 Droplet microfluidics
Webinar program

1. Introduction
2. A little bit of theory
3. How to generate droplets via microfluidics
4. Droplet microfluidics modules
5. Droplet microfluidics applications
6. Conclusions & perspectives

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 Introduction
… Microfluidics?
● What is it?
Study of fluid flow at the sub millimeter scale (Whitesides, 2006)

● Who uses it?

Researchers & industry, many fields of application

● How?
Miniaturize the work of a whole lab
via micron-sized devices (PDMS, glass, PMMA)

Lab miniaturization
https://youtu.be/EjyM8sNplm4

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A little bit of theory
Macro- vs microscopic

● Why?
➔ Reduced volume of reagents
➔ Lower costs
➔ Fine control over parameters (size, shape)

VERSUS

https://youtu.be/EjyM8sNplm4 https://youtu.be/EjyM8sNplm4

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A little bit of theory Capillary number
Physics of miniaturization viscous vs. surface forces
Ca≥ 1 (production) & Ca≤1 (manipulation)
A set of dimensionless numbers available

Bond number Weber number

interfacial vs. body forces inertial vs. surface tension
Bo«1 (dominance interfacial forces) We≥ 1 (production) & We≤1 (manipulation)
Wilfrid Noel Bond Moritz Weber
(1897 - 1937) (1871 - 1951)

Reynolds number Peclet number

inertia vs. viscous forces diffusion vs. convection
Re≤1 (dominance viscous forces) Pe»1 (mixing by diffusion)
Osborne Reynolds
(1942 - 1912)
Eugène Péclet
(1793 - 1857)
Utada et al, 2007; Henrik et al, 2008; Baroud et al, 2010.

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A little bit of theory
Physics of miniaturization
A set of dimensionless numbers available Capillary number
viscous vs. surface forces
Reynolds number Ca≥ 1 (production) & Ca≤1 (manipulation)
inertia vs. viscous forces
Re≤1 (dominance viscous forces)
Osborne Reynolds
(1942 - 1912)
Peclet number
diffusion vs. convection
Pe»1 (mixing by diffusion)

Eugène Péclet
(1793 - 1857)
Laminar flow Turbulent flow

Utada et al, 2007; Henrik et al, 2008; Baroud et al, 2010.

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 Hydrophilic head Hydrophobic tail
A little bit of theory
Droplet stability & surfactant

To avoid Surfactant =
Microdroplets Monodispersity coalescence: molecule with
a hydrophilic
as microreactors High-throughput use of head & a
surfactant hydrophobic
Individuality molecules tail

Droplet stability!

References: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0TtovcwWno&t=85s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

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 How to generate droplets via microfluidics
T-junction & flow-focusing junction

T-junction
T or Y-shaped junction
larger droplets (up to µL)

Flow-focusing
smaller droplets (up to nL)
Higher frequency of production

De Menech et al, 2008; Lee et al, 2009; Gu et al, 2011; Thorsen et al, 2001; Anna et al, 2003; Dreyfus et al, 2003.

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 How to generate droplets via microfluidics
T-junction & flow-focusing junction

T-junction
T or Y-shaped junction
larger droplets (up to µL)

Flow-focusing
smaller droplets (up to nL)
Higher frequency of production

De Menech et al, 2008; Lee et al, 2009; Gu et al, 2011; Thorsen et al, 2001; Anna et al, 2003; Dreyfus et al, 2003.

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Droplet microfluidics modules
Droplet microfluidics can be used for…

Sorting [5]
Production [1] Mixing [3]

Merging [2]
Splitting [4]
Incubating [6]
References [1] http://elveflow.com [2-6] http://sms.crpp-bordeaux.cnrs.fr/movies

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Droplet microfluidics applications
What are droplets used for?
Many modules Many industrial applications

Drug
Sequencing Synthesis Cosmetics
delivery

Mixing Sorting Biomedical Food

Point of
Analytical
Collecting Splitting care &
chemistry
diagnostics

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Droplet microfluidics applications
Emulsions & encapsulation

Industrial applications: food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals,

agrochemicals, oil Industry, paints

EASY DROPLET
GENERATION PACK

If you want to
implement droplet
Key experimental parameters microfluidics for
your experiment:
please check out
❖ For further information about emulsion microfluidics, Flow rate of continuous & dispersed phases our easy droplet
please refer to our review about digital microfluidics Steadiness & accuracy of flow control generation pack!
& emulsion science Channel geometry & properties

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 Droplet microfluidics applications
Emulsions & encapsulation
Action of putting something inside a droplet.

You can add cells, nanoparticles, molecules...

Cell encapsulation performed by the Elveflow team
For further information about cell encapsulation, please refer this review
https://www.elveflow.com/microfluidic-applications/setup-droplet-and-digital-microfluidics/droplets-microfluidics-for-single-cell-

Why?
encapsulation-in-antibody-therapy-high-throughput-screening-and-ngs/

➔ To protect
➔ To transport something
➔ To control the release
➔ To separate
➔ To sort

If you want to implement droplet microfluidics

EASY DROPLET for your experiment: please check out
Alginate fiber encapsulation by C. Martino et al. [1]
GENERATION PACK our easy droplet generation pack! For further information about fiber encapsulation, please refer this review
https://www.elveflow.com/microfluidic-reviews/general-microfluidics/microgel-generation-and-encapsulation-in-microdroplets/

References [1] Martino, C., Vigolo, D., Solvas, X. C. i, Stavrakis, S., deMello, A. J. ( 2016). Real‐Time PEGDA‐Based Microgel Generation and Encapsulation in Microdroplets. Adv. Mater. Technol., 1:
1600028. doi: 10.1002/admt.201600028

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Droplet microfluidics applications
From droplets to particle generation

● Beads generation via droplet-based microfluidics

● Photo- or in-situ polymerisation process

Industrial applications
▸ Biomedical
▸ Drug delivery
▸ Optofluidics
▸ Biology
▸ µ-PIV (Particle Image
Velocimetry)
▸ Diagnostic tests & assays

Highly monodispersed alginate beads

For more information about alginate beads generation, check
with size in the 50µm range. our new application note!

OR download the dedicated user guide on our

new product page!
Highly monodispersed alginate droplets,
size in the 50µm range.

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 Conclusions & perspectives
Key points

Common needs to make valuable experiments:

• Accurate control of the flow rate
• Adequate geometry & surface treatment

To obtain:
✔ High-throughput experiments
✔ Highly monodisperse droplets or particles (stability)

https://www.elveflow.com/microfluidic-products/microfluidics-application-packs/

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Droplet microfluidics
Further readings
Download our free droplets white paper!

Check out our application notes

about droplet microfluidics!

https://www.elveflow.com/microfluidic-application-notes/ https://www.elveflow.com/elveflow-community/download/white-paper-droplet-based-microfluidics/

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Elveflow, plug & play microfluidics contact@elveflow.com +33(0).184.163.807 19
For more information: https://www.elveflow.com/group/microfluidic-research-projects/h2020-msca-if/
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