title: A microfluidic platform for on-demand formation and merging of microdroplets using electric control.
abstract: We discuss a microfluidic system in which (programmable) local electric fields originating from embedded and protected electrodes are used to control the formation and merging of droplets in a microchannel. The creation of droplets-on-demand (DOD) is implemented using the principle of electrowetting. Combined with hydrodynamic control, the droplet size and formation frequency can be varied independently. Using two synchronized DOD injectors, merging-on-demand (MOD) is achieved via electrocoalescence. The efficiency of MOD is 98% based on hundreds of observations. These two functionalities can be activated independently.
authors.affiliation: Physics of Complex Fluids, Faculty of Science and Technology, IMPACT and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Chandrashekhar U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Murade
authors.forename: Michael H G
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Duits
authors.forename: Frieder
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mugele