3D-printed microfluidic chip and emulsion generating device including the chip

Abstract

The invention provides a microfluidic chip for emulsion preparation, comprising: a micro-droplet module, in which a droplet generation channel is formed; an emulsion module, in which an emulsion channel communicated with the droplet generation channel is formed; a dispersed phase module , which forms a dispersed phase channel inside, which communicates with the droplet generation channel and the emulsion channel, and the central axes of the dispersed phase channel, the droplet generation channel and the emulsion channel coincide; the continuous phase module is located on the side of the central axis, and the continuous phase is formed inside Channel; the continuous phase channel and the dispersed phase channel have a confluence part in the microfluidic chip, and the confluence part is located between the dispersed phase channel inlet and the droplet generation channel. The invention also provides an emulsion generating device. The microfluidic chip used for emulsion preparation and the emulsion generating device including the chip of the present invention have simple structure, detachable, convenient preparation and assembly, easy maintenance, uniform micro-droplets and good dispersibility, and can produce micro-droplets of relatively small size at the same time. small microdroplets.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the field of microfluidic technology, in particular to a microfluidic chip based on 3D printing and an emulsion generating device including the chip. Background technique [0002] Emulsion is a relatively stable emulsified liquid system formed by uniformly dispersing one liquid in the form of fine droplets in another immiscible liquid. Among them, one phase dispersed in the form of droplets is called the dispersed phase (or internal phase, discontinuous phase), and the other phase is called the continuous phase (or external phase, dispersion medium). Usually one of the phases is water or an aqueous solution, commonly known as the water phase; the other phase is an organic phase immiscible with water, commonly known as the oil phase. The external phase is water and the internal phase is oil, which is oil-in-water emulsion (O / W); otherwise, it is water-in-oil emulsion (W / O). Emulsion is widely used in materials, chemical indust...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] However, the existing microfluidic micro-droplet preparation devices and methods, specifically, such as Figure 1-2 As shown, the micro-droplet production device disclosed in prior art 1 (CN103386333A) is a planar microfluidic chip, the preparation process is complicated, and the structure is integrally formed and cannot be disassembled. Once a part is blocked or damaged, the whole chip won't work

Additionally, if image 3 As shown, the droplet production device disclosed in prior art 2 (CN 102300564A) has complex preparation and assembly, and the size of the produced droplets is preferably at the millimeter level, so that it cannot fully satisfy the use of microdroplets in various size ranges. need

[0006] At present, commonly used microfluidic chip preparation techniques, such as soft lithography, glass tube assembly, hot-pressed polymer molding, etc., are limited by the complicated preparation process and high preparation cost, which restricts the development of microfluidic microchips. Development and Promotion of Droplet Technology

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