Capillary-Based Microfluidics—Coflow, Flow-Focusing, Electro-Coflow, Drops, Jets, and Instabilities

Josefa Guerrero, Ya Wen Chang, Alexandros A. Fragkopoulos, Alberto Fernandez-Nieves

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Capillary-based microfluidics is a great technique to produce monodisperse and complex emulsions and particulate suspensions. In this review, the current understanding of drop and jet formation in capillary-based microfluidic devices for two primary flow configurations, coflow and flow-focusing is summarized. The experimental and theoretical description of fluid instabilities is discussed and conditions for controlled drop breakup in different modes of drop generation are provided. Current challenges in drop breakup with low interfacial tension systems and recent progress in overcoming drop size limitations using electro-coflow are addressed. In each scenario, the physical mechanisms for drop breakup are revisited, and simple scaling arguments proposed in the literature are introduced.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number1904344
JournalSmall
Volume16
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2020

Keywords

  • drops
  • electro-coflow
  • instabilities
  • jets
  • microfluidics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biomaterials
  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science

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