Liquid-in-gas Droplet Microfluidics

Here we demonstrate a novel concept of liquid-in-gas droplet microfluidics by using gas flow as the continuous phase for the production of liquid droplets. Within a specially configured co-flow microfluidic tubing device, a flow of liquid phase has been continuously dispersed into another outer stream of gas phase, producing discrete and monodisperse microdroplets. This process is robust and well-controlled, and supports various formation modes by systematically altering a variety of critical parameters, including water flow rate and gas pressure. Moreover, the resulting liquid droplets still remain intact during downstream transportation towards the outlet of the tubing, enabling them to be collected and stored for further study.