Use of an adjustable microfluidic droplet generator to produce uniform emulsions with different concentrations

Abstract

The adjustable microfluidic droplet generator (ADG) described herein successfully uses a micro-mixer and a flow-focusing device to produce water droplets with eleven different trypan blue concentrations under various flow rate ratios of the trypan blue solution (sample phase 1, w1) and D.I. water (sample phase 2, w2) and uses these chitosan microparticles to encapsulate the magnetic nanoparticles. These eleven trypan blue/water droplet variations are uniform in size, with a coefficient of variation less than 10%, and can be precisely controlled by adjusting the sum of the sample phase flow rates (w1+w2) and the oil phase flow rate. Chitosan emulsions with eleven different Fe3O4 nanoparticle concentrations are used for magnetic targets, with the chitosan microparticles ranging from 44 to 83 µm in diameter. The ADG has the advantages of active droplet diameter control, the generation of droplets of uniform and specific size with different concentrations and the simplicity of the process. This preparation approach for chitosan microparticles with eleven different concentrations has many potential applications in drug delivery and pharmaceuticals.