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Droplet size uniformity control

& detection

Remigijus Vasiliauskas

Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow

Replay of the webinar

Paris, France – June 2020

https://youtu.be/xXJ8K1DnVqc

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Elveflow microfluidics

What do we do?

R&D

Writing projects

with scientists

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Emulsion production

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Droplet size variations

Stirring

Polydisperse emulsions

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Why do we need to control the droplet size?

Girault et al., Scientific Reports, 2017

Cell encapsulation and product analysis

Food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics industries

Increased stability and better controlled properties

http://i-base.info

Drug encapsulation and controlled release

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Microfluidics way to monodisperse emulsions

Microfluidics chip

Droplet production

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u9h-o4g0_0

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Droplet detection in Microfluidics

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Droplet detection systems

http://a-d-m.weebly.com/

Image post processing

Developed by:

Zhuang Zhi Chong

Nanyan Technological University

Singapore

Image analysis after process

For perfect droplets

At low frequencies

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Droplet detection systems

G. Yesiloz et al, Lab Chip, vol. 15, pp. 4008–4019, 2015.

Elbuken et al., 2011

Electric droplet detection

Limited sensitivity

Difficult to produce

Increases price of chips

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Droplet detection systems

Crawford et al. Scientific Reports, 2017

Optical methods

Complicated system

Limited speed

Need of high speed camera

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New solution

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Goal of the project

Monodisperse emulsions

At high speed (10 kHz)

Production of large quantities

Automatization of droplet production

Commercial system

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Working principle

Basic principle of the droplet production and size monitoring

Droplet generation using pressure pump
Droplet detection using fluorescence or reflection
Size control with active feedback

Emission

Detection

Pressure

pump

Filters

Bifurcated

Optical

cable

OB1 pressure controller

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Working principle

Observe droplets
Observe peaks
Monitor Frequency
Monitor Drop size
Change PID
Turn on and off drop size control

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Testing

Droplet size monitoring

Droplet production using:

Syringe pump
Pressure pump
Pressure pump with feedback

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Testing

Droplet size monitoring

Droplet production using:

Syringe pump
Pressure pump
Pressure pump with feedback

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Testing

Failed experiment?

Clogged chip

Feedback system works

Set drop size

Nozzle clogged

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Bubble detection

We can detect droplets and bubbles

Pressure

pump

Filters

Bifurcated

Optical

cable

Reflection

Detection

Droplets

Bubbles

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Possible applications

Co-flow drop makers

Production of monodisperse emulsion

Hydrogels

Microparticles

Fluorescence intensity detection

Cell encapsulation

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Prototype

Working prototype

LOOKING FOR BETA TESTERS!

contact@elveflow.com

or remigijus.vasiliauskas@elvesys.com

Pressure pump

Microchip holder (any transparent chip)

Microscope for observation and calibration

Signal detector and light source

PC with software

https://www.elveflow.com/group/microfluidic-research-projects/automatic-droplet-size-regulator/

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Droplet microfluidics

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Acknowledgements

This project is funded by the EU MSCA-IF-H2020 Fellowship “AutoDropProd” #796514

https://www.elveflow.com/group/microfluidic-research-projects/automatic-droplet-size-regulator/

Remigijus Vasiliauskas

Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow

Research Associate

Paris, France – 2020

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For more information: https://www.elveflow.com/group/microfluidic-research-projects/h2020-msca-if/

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product catalog

www.elveflow.com

@Elveflow #microfluidics

YOU WANT TECHNICAL INFORMATION OR A QUOTE? DROP US A LINE!

contact@elveflow.com

ELVEFLOW – Plug & play microfluidics

172 Rue de Charonne,

75011 Paris, FRANCE

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Elveflow, plug & play microfluidics

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