title: A novel surgery-like strategy for droplet coalescence in microchannels.
abstract: We report an innovative and efficient surgery-like strategy for achieving the coalescence of surfactant-stabilized droplets in microchannels. As pairs of preformed droplets flow across a micro-lancet, with a suitable surface wettability, in a converging microchannel simultaneously, their surfaces are scratched by the micro-lancet, which causes temporarily local scattering of surfactants, and thus induces their coalescence by joining up their scratched wounds. Our approach shows highly controllable flexibility and stability. We demonstrate this by controlling the coalescence of emulsion droplets with different numbers and complex structures. This surgery-like strategy is totally passive and has great potential in myriad applications including micro-reaction, high-throughput injection, and multiple emulsion formation, etc.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China.
authors.forename: Nan-Nan
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Shao-Xing
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Liang-Yin
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D017155:Wettability
chemical_list: D004655:Emulsions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water