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Micromachines
Special Issues
Recent Advances in Droplet Microfluidics
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Recent Advances in Droplet Microfluidics

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "B：Biology and Biomedicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 4139

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Nan Xiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: inertial microfluidics; soft robotics; microfluidic cell separation; viscoelastic microfluidics; point-of-care testing devices; microflow cytometer; microfluidic valve; dielectrophoresis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Shanshan Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Interests: droplet microfluidics; digital PCR; impedance flow cytometry; soft actuators; rehabilitation robotics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As an important research direction of microfluidics, droplet microfluidics has become a powerful tool for sensitive and high-throughput analysis and manipulation of single cells and biomacromolecules. Through using droplet microfluidics, cells and biomacromolecules could be encapsulated into a large number of individual monodisperse droplets in a rapid time. Different from microwells or microtraps with limited numbers and fixed volumes, volumes of the generated droplets could be controlled in the femto- to nano-liter range by adjusting the flow rates and the throughput of droplet generation could be up to the frequency of kHz. These features of droplet microfluidics avoid the cross-contamination, reduce the reagent consumption, and improve the detection sensitivity. Besides the encapsulation of cells and biomacromolecules, various interesting functions including droplet sorting, merging, trapping, and mixing have been realized in droplet microfluidics, enabling different biomedical applications.

Scope of the Special Issue:

  • Fundamentals of droplet microfluidics
  • New functions realized by droplet microfluidics
  • Novel applications of droplet microfluidics
  • Fabrication and integration methods for creating droplet microfluidics
  • Point-of-care testing (POCT) devices based on droplet microfluidics

This Special Issue aims to highlight the most recent advances of droplet microfluidics. Reviews and original research papers are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Nan Xiang
Prof. Dr. Shanshan Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • droplet microfluidics
  • cell manipulation and analysis
  • point-of-care testing devices
  • biomedical applications

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 6389 KiB  
Article
High-Quality Preparation of Energy-Containing Microspheres with Cross-Scale Particle Size
by Jiang Liu, Hairui Bian, Guoqiang Yu, Jiachao Zhang, Yaozheng Wang, Dang Ding, Ning Sang and Fangsheng Huang
Micromachines 2025, 16(4), 416; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16040416 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 300
Abstract
Microfluidic granulation technology enables high-quality production of energy-containing microspheres, significantly enhancing both performance and safety. Although microfluidic methods allow control over microsphere particle size, the adjustment range remains limited; low yield and process discontinuity also restrict broader application in the synthesis of energy-containing [...] Read more.
Microfluidic granulation technology enables high-quality production of energy-containing microspheres, significantly enhancing both performance and safety. Although microfluidic methods allow control over microsphere particle size, the adjustment range remains limited; low yield and process discontinuity also restrict broader application in the synthesis of energy-containing materials. This paper presents a microfluidic granulation system for energy-containing materials utilizing pulsed pneumatic printing, co-flow, and flow-focusing techniques to achieve wide particle size adjustment, consistent particle formation, high granulation speed, and production efficiency. This system allows microsphere sizes between 110 and 2500 μm, with a coefficient of variation (CV) as low as 1.9%, a frequency exceeding 13,000 Hz, and a suspension consumption rate reaching 100 mL/h. Calcium alginate/potassium perchlorate microspheres, prepared with sodium alginate hydrogel as a binder, exhibit uniform structure, narrow size distribution, and efficient energy material loading. We anticipate further advancements in applying microfluidic technology to energy-containing microsphere production based on this system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Droplet Microfluidics)
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13 pages, 12021 KiB  
Article
Production of Monodisperse Oil-in-Water Droplets and Polymeric Microspheres Below 20 μm Using a PDMS-Based Step Emulsification Device
by Naotomo Tottori, Seungman Choi and Takasi Nisisako
Micromachines 2025, 16(2), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16020132 - 24 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 953
Abstract
Step emulsification (SE) is renowned for its robustness in generating monodisperse emulsion droplets at arrayed nozzles. However, few studies have explored poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based SE devices for producing monodisperse oil-in-water (O/W) droplets and polymeric microspheres with diameters below 20 µm—materials with broad applicability. In [...] Read more.
Step emulsification (SE) is renowned for its robustness in generating monodisperse emulsion droplets at arrayed nozzles. However, few studies have explored poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based SE devices for producing monodisperse oil-in-water (O/W) droplets and polymeric microspheres with diameters below 20 µm—materials with broad applicability. In this study, we present a PDMS-based microfluidic SE device designed to achieve this goal. Two devices with 264 nozzles each were fabricated, featuring straight and triangular nozzle configurations, both with a height of 4 µm and a minimum width of 10 µm. The devices were rendered hydrophilic via oxygen plasma treatment. A photocurable acrylate monomer served as the dispersed phase, while an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution acted as the continuous phase. The straight nozzles produced polydisperse droplets with diameters exceeding 30 µm and coefficient-of-variation (CV) values above 10%. In contrast, the triangular nozzles, with an opening width of 38 µm, consistently generated monodisperse droplets with diameters below 20 µm, CVs below 4%, and a maximum throughput of 0.5 mL h−1. Off-chip photopolymerization of these droplets yielded monodisperse acrylic microspheres. The low-cost, disposable, and scalable PDMS-based SE device offers significant potential for applications spanning from laboratory-scale research to industrial-scale particle manufacturing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Droplet Microfluidics)
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22 pages, 7993 KiB  
Article
Modeling Electrowetting on Dielectric for Novel Droplet-Based Microactuation
by Behzad Parsi, Max R. Gunn, Jacob V. Winters, Daniel Maynes and Nathan B. Crane
Micromachines 2024, 15(12), 1491; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15121491 - 13 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1117
Abstract
Recent advancements in Electrowetting on Dielectric (EWOD) systems, such as simplified fabrication, low-voltage actuation, and the development of more reliable materials, are expanding the potential applications of electrowetting actuators. One application of EWOD actuators is in RF devices to enable dynamic reconfiguration and [...] Read more.
Recent advancements in Electrowetting on Dielectric (EWOD) systems, such as simplified fabrication, low-voltage actuation, and the development of more reliable materials, are expanding the potential applications of electrowetting actuators. One application of EWOD actuators is in RF devices to enable dynamic reconfiguration and allow real-time adjustments to frequency and bandwidth. In this paper, a method is introduced to actuate a panel using EWOD forces. In the EWOD system, the velocity of the plate increases by maximizing the actuation force, minimizing the moving mass (droplets and metalized plate), and reducing resistance (contact line drag, fluid drag). However, some of these are competing factors. For instance, the actuation force can be increased by increasing the number of droplets, but this also increases the inertia and the drag force. An analytical model of EWOD actuation is presented to understand system performance tradeoffs. The model is validated with an EWOD experiment, and the data demonstrate less than a 7.8% error between the measured and predicted maximum plate velocities for different voltage inputs. In addition, this study presents a 3D numerical FEM model to analyze the velocity profile and viscous force in the thin droplets, focusing on variations along the droplet’s height, which cannot be captured experimentally. The main advantage of the proposed system over previous works is the simple 2D manufacturing process, which allows embedding metalized plates and RF circuit boards, in addition to being compact, portable, and low-cost. In addition, the proposed method does not have any mechanical components, which can increase the system’s reliability in a harsh environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Droplet Microfluidics)
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8 pages, 4798 KiB  
Article
A Simple Pump-Free Approach to Generating High-Throughput Microdroplets Using Oscillating Microcone Arrays
by Erturan Yetiskin, Ilayda Erdem, Sinan Gucluer and Adem Ozcelik
Micromachines 2024, 15(11), 1365; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15111365 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1233
Abstract
Droplet generation is crucial in various scientific and industrial fields, such as drug delivery, diagnostics, and inkjet printing. While microfluidic platforms enable precise droplet formation, traditional methods often require costly and complex setups, limiting their accessibility. This study introduces a simple, low-cost approach [...] Read more.
Droplet generation is crucial in various scientific and industrial fields, such as drug delivery, diagnostics, and inkjet printing. While microfluidic platforms enable precise droplet formation, traditional methods often require costly and complex setups, limiting their accessibility. This study introduces a simple, low-cost approach using an off-the-shelf unit and a 3D-printed reservoir. The device, equipped with a driver board, piezo-ring transducer, and a metal sheet with holes, generates oil-in-water (O/W) droplets with an average diameter of 4.62 ± 0.67 µm without external fluid pumps. Its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and scalability make it highly suitable for both lab-on-chip and industrial applications, demonstrating the feasibility of large-scale uniform droplet production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Droplet Microfluidics)
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