Easy droplet generation chip

[DROPKIT01]

EZ Drop

Droplet microfluidics is a field of microfluidics based on the meeting of two immiscible fluids. Due to the laminar and predictable behavior of fluids in sub-millimeter channels, this results in a controlled and monodisperse generation of droplets. Two types of droplets are commonly generated: Water-in-Oil and Oil-in-Water. Droplet generation chip design can sometimes be difficult and requires deep knowledge of physics and fluid mechanics, as well as experience in surface treatment. We have therefore developed this easy-to-use kit.

The Droplet Kit is designed to be used with the Droplet Starter Pack. It contains the PDMS Droplet Generator with the tubing and fittings needed for your water-in-oil droplet experiments. It works with any Flow EZ™ pressure channels and FLOW UNIT models.

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Main benefits

Easy
An easy-to-use kit with PDMS Droplet Generator
Highly monodisperse
Down to 2% CV
Flexible
Large droplet range

Features of the chip

Large droplet range

Using the droplet generation chip, you can generate water-in-oil droplets with diameters ranging from 20 µm to over 100 µm.

Higher generation rate

Using the best configuration, droplets can be generated at a frequency of up to 4 000 Hz (out of the droplet starter pack)

User friendly

No complex connectors, microscope slide dimensions, and 20 µm, 50 µm, and 100 µm markers on the PDMS Droplet Chip to determine droplet size.

Related applications

How does generation of monodisperse droplets work?

Droplet generation in a microfluidic chip can be achieved using different geometries. With the EZ Drop droplet generation chip, a flow-focusing design is used. A channel brings the dispersed phase (water) towards an intersection, where 2 lateral channels, perpendicular to the dispersed phase, supply the continuous phase (oil). The oil pinches the water on both sides, and the combined effects of viscous forces and surface tension result in the formation of a droplet.
This geometry allows the generation of highly monodisperse droplets with a large range of particle sizes and production frequency.

Various production regimes can be achieved using this geometry, allowing for more or less stable emulsions and specific droplet sizes:

The dripping regime allows for generation of very monodisperse droplets with a diameter in the range of the channel’s width. In this case, the viscous shear forces dominate the droplet formation process.
The jetting regime results in detachment of the droplet, not at the intersection, but later in the collection channel. In this case, the generated drops can be much smaller but are usually less monodisperse. Emulsions are more difficult to control and keep stable.

These 2 main droplet regimes can be obtained by changing the flow-rate ratio between the continuous phase and the disperse phase.

More information about the types of droplet generators and water-in-oil emulsions

Specifications

Content

EZ drop chips x3

2 m tubing (250 µm ID; 1/32″ OD)

Sleeves x2

Dimensions

Channels cross-section at the junction	30 x 30 µm
Channel depth elsewhere	30 µm
Channel total length after the junction	6.60 mm
Channel total length (inner to outer tubing)	oil: 21 mm water: 13 mm

Can I reorder the EZ drop chips alone?

Of course, the chips can be ordered separately from the whole Droplet Starter Pack. We invite you to get in touch with our sales representatives or with your local distributor.

Can I know the droplet size using pressure only?

Yes, the size market at the nozzle are here to help you estimate the size of the droplets you are generating. The Droplet Starter Pack has been designed to have very stable flow-rates, as the microfluidic resistance is mainly within the chip. This means that the flow-rates will stay stable even with pressure control only, thus the droplet sizes.

Easy droplet generation chip