You are here

FAU Collections » FAU Research Repository » FAU Student Research » FAU Undergraduate Student Research

Fundamental Physics of All-Aqueous Micro-Droplet Generation Mechanisms

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
2017
Summary:
Aqueous microdroplets have shown great potential in various applications such as material synthesis, chemical reactions, and drug discovery. The objective of this research is to generate aqueous microdroplets in water using microfluidic techniques. Compared to conventional aqueous droplets in an oil phase, droplets generated from the proposed system will be more biocompatible and simply manufactured. To achieve this goal, the research focuses on understanding fundamental physics behind droplet generation at various geometries and input conditions. This understanding can subsequently help us obtain microdroplets with targeted properties. Several microdroplet generators made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) transparent polymer are fabricated and an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) made up of two water-based polymers, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (DEX) is used in these generators. The results successfully demonstrate that the proposed droplet generators produce aqueous microdroplets at various sizes at different frequencies. The controllability and tunability of the properties of microdroplets will be discussed.
Title: Fundamental Physics of All-Aqueous Micro-Droplet Generation Mechanisms.
109 views
30 downloads
Name(s): Melgar Jimenez, Sofia
Petrozzi, Nick
Mastiani, Mohammad
Kim, Mike
Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Poster
Date Created: 2017
Date Issued: 2017
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Florida
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 1 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Aqueous microdroplets have shown great potential in various applications such as material synthesis, chemical reactions, and drug discovery. The objective of this research is to generate aqueous microdroplets in water using microfluidic techniques. Compared to conventional aqueous droplets in an oil phase, droplets generated from the proposed system will be more biocompatible and simply manufactured. To achieve this goal, the research focuses on understanding fundamental physics behind droplet generation at various geometries and input conditions. This understanding can subsequently help us obtain microdroplets with targeted properties. Several microdroplet generators made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) transparent polymer are fabricated and an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) made up of two water-based polymers, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (DEX) is used in these generators. The results successfully demonstrate that the proposed droplet generators produce aqueous microdroplets at various sizes at different frequencies. The controllability and tunability of the properties of microdroplets will be discussed.
Identifier: FA00005629 (IID)
Subject(s): College students --Research --United States.
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005629
Restrictions on Access: Author retains rights.
Host Institution: FAU