Methods for forming mixed droplets
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 in a first channel, the first channel comprising a drop track, to steer the droplet toward a junction with a second channel and
contacting the droplet at the junction with a bolus of a fluid stream flowing in the second channel to cause a portion of the bolus to segment from the fluid stream and integrate with the droplet to form a mixed droplet, the mixed droplet formed without the presence of electric charge.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid stream is delivered via a second channel that is perpendicular to the first channel.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the droplet of the first fluid is surrounded by an immiscible carrier fluid.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed droplet is surrounded by an immiscible carrier fluid.
5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the immiscible carrier fluid is an oil.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the oil comprises a surfactant.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the surfactant is a fluorosurfactant.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the forming, flowing and contacting steps to form a plurality of mixed droplets from a plurality of droplets of the first fluid, wherein the plurality of droplets of the first fluid are monodisperse.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drop track forces the droplet of the first fluid into a higher energy conformation.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bolus protrudes into a first stream comprising the droplet of the first fluid.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drop track has a channel height smaller than the diameter of the droplet.
12. 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 through a first channel, the first channel comprising a drop track, to steer the droplet toward a junction with a second channel; and
contacting the droplet at the junction with a bolus of a fluid stream flowing in the second channel to cause a portion of the bolus to segment from the fluid stream and integrate with the droplet to form a mixed droplet, the mixed droplet formed without the presence of electric charge.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the drop track has a channel height smaller than the diameter of the droplet.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second channels are perpendicular to each other.
15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the mixed droplet is also surrounded by the immiscible carrier fluid.
16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the immiscible carrier fluid is an oil.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the oil comprises a surfactant.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the surfactant is a fluorosurfactant.