The present invention relates to a microfluidic device designed for the generation of droplets, emulsions, particles, single and multi-core microcapsules, microbubbles, single microfibers, core-shell microfibers, and nanoparticles. This device comprises glass capillaries and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) slab, with the PDMS slab incorporating a T-junction. It holds significant commercialization potential across the biomedical, pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. This hybrid microfluidic device features a versatile design that accommodates multiple applications. Additionally, it can be constructed using various materials such as plastics, polymers, and PMMA. The design can also be adapted for printing on 2D microfluidic chips, offering further versatility and potential uses.
- Used for the generation of droplets, emulsions, particles, etc. without any modification in design
- Used for the encapsulation of cells, drugs, and nanoparticles in the polymeric matrix
- Does not need any sophisticated equipment and can be produced at economical cost
- Reusable provided it is cleaned thoroughly between two applications
- Can be used for the generation of microcarriers in a very broad range (10 to 1500 microns)
- Arrangement of extra channels and any modification in the design can be done easily
- Compatible to incorporate high electric field inside the microchannel as it can withstand a high voltage supply
- Used for carrying chemical reactions at the microscale
- Long lifespan
- Glass capillary part houses co-axial flow PDMS slab is of width 250 mm, length 450 mm and a main channel of size 1.4 mm
- PDMS slab is prepared from a mixture of
- PDMA and curing agent in ratio 10:1
- Channel is of any shape, particularly of square shape
- Channel inside the PDMS slab is prepared by pouring a mixture of PDMS and curing agent on a long 1.4 mm side square glass capillary supported by a teflon frame
- For formation of double emulsion droplet, one end of the main channel is inserted with coaxially aligned two cylindrical capillaries pulled to tip diameters of 110 microns and 80 microns providing inlets for shell and inner core respectively
- For formation of single emulsion droplet, the main end of the channel is inserted with single cylindrical capillary of tip diameter 100 microns
The invention has a proof of concept developed.
3
The invention helps to eradicate the barriers to advancement of research and technology. The invention has applications in major areas such as drug delivery, therapeutic applications, tissue engineering which can be used to battle diseases and promote better health of the public.
Healthcare industry, Pharmaceutical industry, Biomedical industry, Chemical Industry, Food industry
The invention discloses a hybrid microfluidic device that is highly useful for producing droplets, emulsions, particles, single and multi-core microcapsules, microbubbles, single and core-shell microfibers, and nanoparticles. These microstructures have numerous applications in biological and biomedical fields, including single-cell analysis, antibody production, cell encapsulation, drug delivery, drug assays, therapeutic applications, tissue engineering, and antimicrobial activity. Additionally, this device can be used to conduct chemical reactions in a microreactor.
202021029263
456399