Compound droplet manipulations on fiber arrays

TL;DR

This paper explores the use of fiber arrays for complex microdroplet manipulations, enabling the creation of compound droplets and potential biosensor applications, advancing open digital microfluidics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for manipulating tiny droplets on fiber networks to create complex compound droplets, with potential for biosensing and microreactor development.

Findings

Enables creation of complex compound droplets.

Cost-effective and flexible manipulation method.

Potential for fluorescence-based biosensors.

Abstract

Recent works demonstrated that fiber arrays may constitue the basis of an open digital microfluidics. Various processes, such as droplet motion, fragmentation, trapping, release, mixing and encapsulation, may be achieved on fiber arrays. However, handling a large number of tiny droplets resulting from the mixing of several liquid components is still a challenge for developing microreactors, smart sensors or microemulsifying drugs. Here, we show that the manipulation of tiny droplets onto fiber networks allows for creating compound droplets with a high complexity level. Moreover, this cost-effective and flexible method may also be implemented with optical fibers in order to develop fluorescence-based biosensor.