Microfluidic Single Emulsion Device

[1DPRD01]

    RayDrop Single Emulsion

    The RayDrop Single Emulsion Device is a microfluidic droplet generator composed of three main fully removable parts: two inserts on each side,  a center section containing a nozzle, and an outlet capillary. There are four standard microfluidic connections, two on the box for the continuous phase, one on each insert for the dispersed phase entry, and one on the collecting emulsion outlet.

    The RayDrop Single Emulsion Device’s specific design allows for multiple liquid type emulsification within the same device without any coating needed. This allows users to cover single and complex emulsions.

    Applications from encapsulation of active pharmaceutical ingredient (in both polymer microparticle) to cell and fragrance encapsulation in hydrogel microbeads are covered, such as:

    • PLGA microparticle
    • Alginate microbeads
    • Liposome Nanoparticle
    Raydrop Single Emulsion Chip Secoya Fluigent
    Main benefits
    • droplet monodispersity
      Reproducible

      High monodispersity (CV < 2%)

    • ICO_BFT size
      Flexible

      Multiple applications

    • Easy

      Coating-free


    „My team has started using the Fluigent microfluidic kit for making polymer based particles. We tried different microfluidic systems in the past but unfortunately they were not suitable for our application. The main issue was chip blockage which rendered the process quite laborious.

    The RayDrop microfluidic chip from Fluigent gave us the best results with a better control over the process.

    I have to mention the excellent technical support from Fluigent, their team visited my lab 3 times to deliver training and help to optimize the process”

    Dr Omar QUTACHISenior Lecturer in PharmaceuticsHealth and Life Sciences Montfort University , The Gateway, Leicester

    RayDrop Single Emulsion Device: Features

    A flexible device

    Droplet size from 20 µm to 450 µm diameter. Frequency of up to 10 000 Hz. Water-in-oil (w/o) and oil-in-water (o/w) droplets.

    A unique device

    One device for multiple applications

    Surface coating-free

    As opposed to standard droplet devices, the Raydrop does not require any surface coating steps.

    Easy to use

    • Standard connection (Upchurch).
    • No surfactant for droplet generation.
    • Easy-to-clean, exchangeable nozzle. 
    • Full disassembly for cleaning.
    • Easy microscope visualization.

    Developed and manufactured by Secoya

    RayDrop Single Emulsion Device: Description

    Single emulsions are mixed systems consisting of two immiscible liquids in which the inner phase is homogeneously dispersed in the continuous phase in a droplet-wise manner. The single emulsion microfluidic method produces different microsized W/O or O/W emulsion droplets with the desired homogeneous size, shape and tailored structure by simply tuning the experimental parameters, such as pressure, flow rate and regimen, dimensionless parameters (e.g., Reynolds and capillary numbers), as well as taking advantage of the properties of the two fluid phases (interfacial tension and viscosity (1).

    The RayDrop Single Emulsion Device, developed and manufactured by Secoya technologies, relies on the alignment of two glass capillaries inside a pressurised chamber. A 3D-printed micro-nozzle is additionally connected at the tip of the injection capillary, enforcing the dripping (fluids flow at low rates) of small droplets. This non-embedded design presents both the characteristics of a co-flow (axisymetric geometry) and a flow focusing (dramatic local accelerations of the continuous phase), and is thereby called non-embedded co-flow focusing (2). The nozzle and outlet capillary are aligned in the continuous phase chamber, the dispersed phase comes through the nozzle to create the microparticles into the continuous phase and exit by the outlet insert.

    The technological breakthroughs of RayDrop Single Emulsion Device’s design is two-fold:

    • Firstly, it enables the high-throughput generation of monodisperse droplets intrinsic to the dripping regime for a wide variety of fluids, due to the continuous phase not being confined before entering the extraction capillary, allowing for the flushing of viscous continuous phases. 
    • Secondly, it benefits from specific fabrication techniques and materials compatible with a large-scale production of the device, while ensuring a  precise and reproducible alignment of the two capillaries in the chamber (2).
    Raydrop single emulsion chip

    Secoya, Raydrop Microfluidic Droplet Generator

    The Single Emulsion Device is characterised by: 

    – Nozzle on the extraction capillary:

    • High throughput of small droplets/bubbles without high pressure drop
    • Increased squeezing for fluids with low interfacial tension

    – Co-flow of two miscible phases for nanoparticle production:

    • Very homogeneous conditions at the fluids interface due to the axisymmetry.
    • Production of nanoparticles and liposomes with a small size distribution

    The Single Emulsion Device is available in three standard configurations (Nozzle size-Extraction capillary size), in order to target a broader droplet size range:

    • 30µm-150µm
    • 60µm-300µm
    • 90µm-450µm
    single emulsion chip nozzle
    single emulsion chip droplet generation

    As all capillaries from the RayDrop Single Emulsion Device are easily exchangeable, it’s easy to change either the nozzle capillary or the collecting capillary with another nozzle or capillary size.
    It can also be tuned to target different droplet size by changing capillary size and nozzle configuration.


    Small droplet configuration: 30µm-60µm

    Small droplet configuration: 30µm-70µm-90µm

    This two nozzle configuration allows users to decrease single emulsion size down to 15µm droplet size.

    WEBINAR REPLAY – Raydrop, a universal droplet generator based on a non embedded co flow focusing

    Watch our webinar ‘Raydrop, a universal droplet generator based on a non embedded co flow focusing’ to learn more about the features and performance of the RayDrop Single Emulsion Device. 

    Specifications

    Device characteristicsCo-Flow focusing design
    Droplet typewater in oil and oil in water
    Droplet size15 to 450 µm
    Generation rate10 000 Hz (measured for the smallest double emulsion size) – can go higher under specific conditions
    Nozzle typeMethalcrylate resin
    Glass
    Nozzle size30 µm ID
    60 µm ID
    90 µm ID
    Inlet and outlet capillary150 µm ID
    300 µm ID
    450 µm ID
    External dimensionsL*l*h = 60 mm * 40 mm * 13 mm
    Weight205
    Operating pressure0 – 5 bar
    Burst pressure10 bar
    Wetted material: continuous phasePEEK, FEP, glass, stainless steel, polyimide, Kalrez (seal), methalcrylate resin or glass (nozzle)
    Wetted laterial: dispersed phase PEEK, FEP, glass, methalcrylate resin or glass (nozzle)

    PNProduct NameCapillary sizesNozzle type
    1DPRD01Complete Raydrop30µm-150µmMethacrylate Resin
    ORDRPSE-60-300Complete Raydrop60µm-300µmMethacrylate Resin
    ORDRPSE-90-450Complete Raydrop90µm-450µmMethacrylate Resin
    O-SE-RDRPC04-EUPComplete Raydrop30µm-60µmMethacrylate Resin
    O-SE-RDRPC05-EUPComplete Raydrop30µm-90µmMethacrylate Resin
    O-SE-RDRPC06-EUPComplete Raydrop60µm-90µmMethacrylate Resin
    ORDRPSNO-30Simple nozzle insert30µmMethacrylate Resin
    ORDRPSNO-60Simple nozzle insert60µmMethacrylate Resin
    ORDRPSNO-90Simple nozzle insert90µmMethacrylate Resin
    ORDRPCOL-150Collecting capillary insert150µmGlass
    O-SP-CCI300-COCollecting capillary insert300µmGlass
    O-SP-CCI450-COCollecting capillary insert450µmGlass
    O-SE-RDRPC01G-EUPComplete Raydrop30µm-150µmGlass
    O-SE-RDRPC02G-EUPComplete Raydrop60µm-300µmGlass
    O-SE-RDRPC03G-EUPComplete Raydrop90µm-450µmGlass
    O-SE-GSNO30-EUPSimple nozzle insert30µmGlass
    O-SE-GSNO60-EUPSimple nozzle insert60µmGlass
    O-SE-GSNO90-EUPSimple nozzle insert90µmGlass

    Expertise & resources

    Accessories

    Kits

    REFERENCES

    1. Fontana, F., Ferreira, M., Correia, A., Hirvonen, J., & Santos, H. (2016). Microfluidics as a cutting-edge technique for drug delivery applications. Journal Of Drug Delivery Science And Technology34, 76-87. doi: 10.1016/j.jddst.2016.01.010
    2. Dewandre, Adrien & Rivero-Rodriguez, Javier & Vitry, Youen & Sobac, Benjamin & Scheid, Benoit. (2020). Raydrop : a universal droplet generator based on a non-embedded co-flow-focusing.