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Nanoliter compound-droplet generation with composition variation

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Abstract

A new method for generation of nanoliter-volume, two-phase (compound) droplets with the ability to vary composition (i.e., encapsulant thickness) is presented. Thermocapillary-driven levitation of water droplets, a capability with potential for the improvement of lab-on-a-chip (LOC) processes, requires encapsulation by a secondary, less-volatile fluid that will also avoid the adverse effects of water-surface contamination on the driving surface motion. Key components of the closed system include the droplet generator actuated by a piezoelectric diaphragm, a pressure-control device, and a specialized nozzle for delivery of the encapsulating liquid. Experimental investigations demonstrate how system pressure variations allow composition changes, and voltage waveform input parameters regulate ejection dynamics, necessary for droplet capturing during the levitation process.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant CBET-0828820 and by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under grant NNX08BB04G.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA

    James Black & G. Paul Neitzel

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  1. James Black
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  2. G. Paul Neitzel
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Correspondence to G. Paul Neitzel.

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Black, J., Neitzel, G.P. Nanoliter compound-droplet generation with composition variation. Microfluid Nanofluid 20, 133 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-016-1799-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-016-1799-x

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