title: Flow invariant droplet formation for stable parallel microreactors.
abstract: The translation of batch chemistries onto continuous flow platforms requires addressing the issues of consistent fluidic behaviour, channel fouling and high-throughput processing. Droplet microfluidic technologies reduce channel fouling and provide an improved level of control over heat and mass transfer to control reaction kinetics. However, in conventional geometries, the droplet size is sensitive to changes in flow rates. Here we report a three-dimensional droplet generating device that exhibits flow invariant behaviour and is robust to fluctuations in flow rate. In addition, the droplet generator is capable of producing droplet volumes spanning four orders of magnitude. We apply this device in a parallel network to synthesize platinum nanoparticles using an ionic liquid solvent, demonstrate reproducible synthesis after recycling the ionic liquid, and double the reaction yield compared with an analogous batch synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, 925 Bloom Walk, HED 216, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Carson T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Riche
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, 925 Bloom Walk, HED 216, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.|Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Malancha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Brutchey
authors.affiliation: Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, 925 Bloom Walk, HED 216, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.|Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malmstadt