Micromachines 2013, 4(1), 34-48; doi:10.3390/mi4010034
Article

Controllable Active Micro Droplets Merging Device Using Horizontal Pneumatic Micro Valves

Afshan Jamshaid 1,* email, Masaya Igaki 1 email, Dong Hyun Yoon 1 email, Tetsushi Sekiguchi 2 email and Shuichi Shoji 1 email
1 Nanosciences & Nanoengineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1, Okubu, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 1698555, Japan 2 Nano Technology Research Center, 513 Waseda, Tsurumaki-chou, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 14 December 2012; in revised form: 31 January 2013 / Accepted: 8 February 2013 / Published: 8 March 2013
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected papers from 1st International Conference on Microfluidic Handling Systems)
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Abstract: We present an active droplet merging device, which can merge various sizes of micro droplets in different numbers by using pneumatically controlled horizontal PDMS microvalves. The merging part consists of a main and side channels separated by a pillar array. The pillar array structure is contained within a microfuidic channel. The function of the pillar array provides a bypass path to the continuous flow (oil) inside the merging chamber. Droplets are successfully generated within the channel and achieve merging by controlling the selective different numbers and diameters of droplets through varying the flow resistance of main and side channel. In the merging chamber, a droplet will enter and slow down its movement. It will wait and then merge with the sequential droplets. These experiments demonstrate that such a merging device can controllably select and adjust the distance between the different adjacent micro droplets without any generation of sister droplets in the side channel. The device has no desynchronization problems. Thus, it can be applied for efficiently mixing the droplets in various diameters and numbers without changing the structure of the merging chamber. Hence, this device can be a more effective choice when applying microfluidics to chemical and biological applications.
Keywords: merging; pneumatic microvalves; droplets; flow resistance; pressure

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Jamshaid, A.; Igaki, M.; Yoon, D.H.; Sekiguchi, T.; Shoji, S. Controllable Active Micro Droplets Merging Device Using Horizontal Pneumatic Micro Valves. Micromachines 2013, 4, 34-48.

AMA Style

Jamshaid A, Igaki M, Yoon DH, Sekiguchi T, Shoji S. Controllable Active Micro Droplets Merging Device Using Horizontal Pneumatic Micro Valves. Micromachines. 2013; 4(1):34-48.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jamshaid, Afshan; Igaki, Masaya; Yoon, Dong H.; Sekiguchi, Tetsushi; Shoji, Shuichi. 2013. "Controllable Active Micro Droplets Merging Device Using Horizontal Pneumatic Micro Valves." Micromachines 4, no. 1: 34-48.

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