title: Active droplet generation in microfluidics.
abstract: The reliable generation of micron-sized droplets is an important process for various applications in droplet-based microfluidics. The generated droplets work as a self-contained reaction platform in droplet-based lab-on-a-chip systems. With the maturity of this platform technology, sophisticated and delicate control of the droplet generation process is needed to address increasingly complex applications. This review presents the state of the art of active droplet generation concepts, which are categorized according to the nature of the induced energy. At the liquid/liquid interface, an energy imbalance leads to instability and droplet breakup.
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Zhuang Zhi
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road QLD 4111, Brisbane, Australia. sayhwa.tan@griffith.edu.au nam-trung.nguyen@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Say Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Depto. de Ingeniería Aeroespacial y Mecánica de Fluidos, Universidad de Sevilla, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain. amgc@us.es.
authors.forename: Alfonso M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gañán-Calvo
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Shu Beng
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Tor
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ngiap Hiang
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road QLD 4111, Brisbane, Australia. sayhwa.tan@griffith.edu.au nam-trung.nguyen@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nam-Trung
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties