Component Library Creation and Pixel Array Generation with Micromilled Droplet Microfluidics

Overview

Journal Microsyst Nanoeng

Date 2025 Jan 14

PMID 39809750

Authors

David McIntyre

Diana Arguijo

Kaede Kawata

Douglas Densmore

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Droplet microfluidics enable high-throughput screening, sequencing, and formulation of biological and chemical systems at the microscale. Such devices are generally fabricated in a soft polymer such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). However, developing design masks for PDMS devices can be a slow and expensive process, requiring an internal cleanroom facility or using an external vendor. Here, we present the first complete droplet-based component library using low-cost rapid prototyping and electrode integration. This fabrication method for droplet microfluidic devices costs less than $12 per device and a full design-build-test cycle can be completed within a day. Discrete microfluidic components for droplet generation, re-injection, picoinjection, anchoring, fluorescence sensing, and sorting were built and characterized. These devices are biocompatible, low-cost, and high-throughput. To show its ability to perform multistep workflows, these components were used to assemble droplet "pixel" arrays, where droplets were generated, sensed, sorted, and anchored onto a grid to produce images.

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