Offer no. 6/13

A device for generation of compound droplets and a method of generation of such droplets

• Summary:

  The invention reports a microfluidic chip for generation of multiple droplets, i.e., droplets built of multiple immiscible liquid segments with different chemical content. Architecture of the chip is compatible with the technique of generation of the droplets "on-demand" which exploits valves to control the volumes of the individual drops. This technique, in combination with the specific architecture of the chip, allows for generation of multiple droplets with prescirebed internal structure including prescribed volumes of the individual segments and their relative spatial configuration. In particular, it allows for generation of the microdroplets potentially useful in controlled release, composed of a segment containing the active compound being surrounded by a shell of tightly packed neutral segments.

• Inventors:
  Jan Guzowski, Piotr Garstecki, Sławomir Jakieła
• Advantages / Innovative aspects:
  • The architecture of the chip allows for generation of multiple droplets composed of arbitrary number of segments of 3 different phases
  • Specific geometry of the microfluidic junction prevents coalescence of the segments at the junction
  • In combination with the technique of "on-demand" generation of dropelts the chip allows for controlled formulation of core-shell structures with multiple cores, also those in which a chosen core is placed centrally
• Keywords:
  microfluidics, multiple droplets, emulsions, surface tension, microcapsule, drug release
• Field:
  • Instruments - Control
  • Mechanical engineering - Other special machines
• Usage:

  Pharmaceutics, Physics of fluid, Micromechanics, Hydraulics, Micro and Nanotechnology, Pharmacy and Medicines, Food technology

• State of the progress:
  stage of research
• Intellectual property rights:
  Patent application in Poland
• Patent number:
  http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2013/lc/c3lc50841b

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