A New Microfluidic Chip for Formation of Micro-Droplets in Liquids Utilizing Active Pneumatic Choppers

Mono-disperse emulsion is of great significance for both chemical and industrial applications. The current study reports a new microfluidic system capable of formation of micro-droplets in liquids for emulsification applications. The new emulsion chip can precisely generate uniform droplets using a novel combination of hydrodynamic-focusing and liquid-chopping techniques. Experimental data show that micro-droplets with a diameter ranging from several to tens of micrometers could be precisely generated. The emulsification behavior at different ratios of sample flow rate (v1) and sheath flow rate (v2) and chopping frequency is systematically investigated. The micro-droplets have a uniform size while compared to previous studies. This novel device can be promising for emulsification and other related applications.