A Microfluidic Platform for Five‐Order‐of‐Magnitude Concentration Control With Stable Droplet Size
Abstract
Generating monodisperse droplets with tunable concentrations is essential for a wide range of microfluidic applications. We present a platform that overcomes the trade-off between concentration range and droplet size stability using a passive, water-head-driven system with asymmetric fluidic resistances. This design effectively decouples concentration tuning from droplet generation within the tested regime by stabilizing the junction pressure to ensure a steady total aqueous flow rate. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that this results in monodisperse droplets of nearly constant size across the programmed concentration range. Concurrently, by adjusting a single passive pressure inlet, the system achieves continuous control of the concentration ratio over a five-order-of-magnitude dynamic range. This robust, simple method eliminates complex pumps, offering a powerful tool for high-throughput screening and combinatorial studies.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation
Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications
Electrowetting and Microfluidic Technologies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Electrophoresis
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 414–419
- Publication date
- 3 March 2026
- Language
- EN