Methods for forming mixed droplets
View Patent ↗The invention generally relates to methods for forming mixed droplets. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve forming a droplet, and contacting the droplet with a fluid stream, wherein a portion of the fluid stream integrates with the droplet to form a mixed droplet.
1. A method for forming a mixed droplet, the method comprising:
forming a droplet of a first fluid;
flowing the droplet of the first fluid in a first channel comprising a drop track thereby flowing the droplet of the first fluid away from center streamline and toward a bolus of a fluid stream; and
contacting the droplet of the first fluid with the bolus of the fluid stream wherein a portion of the bolus segments from the fluid stream and integrates with the droplet of the first fluid to form a mixed droplet.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid stream is delivered via a second channel oriented perpendicular to the first channel.
3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising applying an electric field to the droplet of the first fluid and the bolus of the fluid stream.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the electric field is a high-frequency electric field.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the droplet of the first fluid is surrounded by an immiscible carrier fluid.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the immiscible carrier fluid is an oil.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the oil comprises a surfactant.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the surfactant is a fluorosurfactant.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed droplet is surrounded by an immiscible carrier fluid.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the droplets of the first fluid are monodispersive.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drop track forces the droplet of the first fluid into a lower energy conformation.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bolus protrudes into a first stream comprising the droplet of the first fluid.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drop track has a channel height smaller than the diameter of the droplet.
14. A method for forming a mixed droplet, the method comprising:
forming a droplet of a first fluid surrounded by an immiscible carrier fluid;
flowing the droplet of the first fluid through a first channel comprising a drop track thereby flowing the droplet of the first fluid away from center streamline and toward a bolus of a fluid stream from a second channel; and
contacting the droplet of the first fluid in the first channel with the bolus of the fluid stream from the second channel, wherein a portion of the bolus that segments from the fluid stream integrates with the droplet of the first fluid to form a mixed droplet.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the drop track has a channel height smaller than the diameter of the droplet.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first and second channels are oriented perpendicular to each other.
17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the contacting step occurs in the presence of an electric field, and the electric field is a high-frequency electric field.
18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the mixed droplet is surrounded by an immiscible carrier fluid.
19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the an immiscible carrier fluid is an oil.
20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the oil comprises a surfactant.
21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the surfactant is a fluorosurfactant.