Light‐Responsive Materials in Droplet Manipulation for Biochemical Applications

Advanced Materials, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 21, 2024

Miniaturized droplets, characterized by well-controlled microenvironments and capability for parallel processing, have significantly advanced the studies on enzymatic evolution, molecular diagnostics, single-cell analysis. However, manipulation of small-sized including moving, merging, trapping targeted droplets complex biochemical assays subsequent analysis, is not trivial remains technically demanding. Among various techniques, light-driven methods stand out as a promising candidate droplet in facile flexible manner, given features contactless interaction, high spatiotemporal resolution, biocompatibility. This review therefore compiles an in-depth discussion governing mechanisms underpinning manipulation. Besides, light-responsive materials, representing core light-matter interaction key character converting light into different forms energy, are particularly assessed this review. Recent advancements materials most notable applications comprehensively archived evaluated. Continuous innovations rational engineering expected to propel development manipulation, equip with enhanced functionality, broaden routine investigations.

Language: Английский

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Recent advances in centrifugal microfluidics for point-of-care testing

Lab on a Chip, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Centrifugal microfluidics, with its advantages of rapid and precise fluid control without the need for external pressure, is widely applied in point-of-care testing.

Language: Английский

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3D printing and artificial intelligence tools for droplet microfluidics: Advances in the generation and analysis of emulsions

Applied Physics Reviews, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 21, 2025

Droplet microfluidics has emerged as highly relevant technology in diverse fields such nanomaterials synthesis, photonics, drug delivery, regenerative medicine, food science, cosmetics, and agriculture. While significant progress been made understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying droplet generation microchannels fabricating devices to produce droplets with varied functionality high throughput, challenges persist along two important directions. On one side, generalization of numerical results obtained by computational fluid dynamics would be deepen comprehension complex physical phenomena microfluidics, well capability predicting device behavior. Conversely, truly three-dimensional architectures enhance microfluidic platforms terms tailoring enhancing flow properties. Recent advancements artificial intelligence (AI) additive manufacturing (AM) promise unequaled opportunities for simulating behavior, precisely tracking individual droplets, exploring innovative designs. This review provides a comprehensive overview recent applying AI AM microfluidics. The basic properties multiphase flows production are discussed, current fabrication methods related introduced, together their applications. Delving into use technologies topics covered include AI-assisted simulations real-time within systems, AM-fabrication systems. synergistic combination is expected active matter expediting transition toward fully digital

Language: Английский

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Integrating machine learning and biosensors in microfluidic devices: A review

Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 263, P. 116632 - 116632

Published: Aug. 3, 2024

Microfluidic devices are increasingly widespread in the literature, being applied to numerous exciting applications, from chemical research Point-of-Care devices, passing through drug development and clinical scenarios. Setting up these microenvironments, however, introduces necessity of locally controlling variables involved phenomena under investigation. For this reason, literature has deeply explored possibility introducing sensing elements investigate physical quantities biochemical concentration inside microfluidic devices. Biosensors, particularly, well known for their high accuracy, selectivity, responsiveness. However, signals could be challenging interpret must carefully analysed carry out correct information. In addition, proper data analysis been demonstrated even increase biosensors' mentioned qualities. To regard, machine learning algorithms undoubtedly among most suitable approaches undertake job, automatically highlighting biosensor signals' characteristics at best. Interestingly, it was also benefit themselves, a new paradigm that is starting name "intelligent microfluidics", ideally closing benefic interaction disciplines. This review aims demonstrate advantages triad microfluidics-biosensors-machine learning, which still little used but great perspective. After briefly describing single entities, different sections will benefits dual interactions, applications where reviewed employed.

Language: Английский

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Unveiling the complex morphologies of sessile droplets on heterogeneous surfaces

Communications Physics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: Jan. 24, 2025

Language: Английский

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Production of Monodisperse Oil-in-Water Droplets and Polymeric Microspheres Below 20 μm Using a PDMS-Based Step Emulsification Device

Micromachines, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(2), P. 132 - 132

Published: Jan. 24, 2025

Step emulsification (SE) is renowned for its robustness in generating monodisperse emulsion droplets at arrayed nozzles. However, few studies have explored poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based SE devices producing oil-in-water (O/W) and polymeric microspheres with diameters below 20 µm-materials broad applicability. In this study, we present a PDMS-based microfluidic device designed to achieve goal. Two 264 nozzles each were fabricated, featuring straight triangular nozzle configurations, both height of 4 µm minimum width 10 µm. The rendered hydrophilic via oxygen plasma treatment. A photocurable acrylate monomer served as the dispersed phase, while an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution acted continuous phase. produced polydisperse exceeding 30 coefficient-of-variation (CV) values above 10%. contrast, nozzles, opening 38 µm, consistently generated CVs 4%, maximum throughput 0.5 mL h-1. Off-chip photopolymerization these yielded acrylic microspheres. low-cost, disposable, scalable offers significant potential applications spanning from laboratory-scale research industrial-scale particle manufacturing.

Language: Английский

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Centrifugal microfluidic chip for multi-stage sorting and detection of microplastics at micron scale

Analytica Chimica Acta, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 1351, P. 343883 - 343883

Published: March 5, 2025

Language: Английский

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Role of elasticity on polymeric droplet generation and morphology in microfluidic cross-junctions

Physics of Fluids, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 36(5)

Published: May 1, 2024

Recently, our direct numerical simulations [Duan et al., Phys. Fluids 36, 033112 (2024)] showed that fluid elasticity affects the extension length and pinch-off time of droplet formation process, thus changing flow pattern. However, effect on morphology properties polymeric droplets is not yet fully understood. In this work, by analyzing stretched state polymer macromolecule velocity distribution we find increase in (characterized relaxation time) inhibits contraction dispersed phase during pinching resists surface tension after generation, which significantly geometry, volume, generation frequency. The results demonstrate volume with fluid, while frequency decreases. Meanwhile, effects viscosity superficial ratio continuous to droplets' are investigated. semi-empirical models for length, developed first considering elastic interaction. purpose work provide a better understanding experimental guidance controlling parameters viscoelasticity different shapes sizes.

Language: Английский

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Droplet Microfluidics for Current Cancer Research: From Single-Cell Analysis to 3D Cell Culture

ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 10(3), P. 1335 - 1354

Published: Feb. 29, 2024

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Differences in drug resistance and treatment response caused by heterogeneity cancer cells are primary reasons for poor therapy outcomes patients. In addition, current vitro anticancer drug-screening methods rely on two-dimensional monolayer-cultured cells, which cannot accurately predict behavior vivo. Therefore, a powerful tool to study produce effective tumor models warranted leverage research. Droplet microfluidics has become platform single-cell analysis three-dimensional cell culture spheroids. this review, we discuss use droplet microfluidic technologies, including single- or double-emulsion generation passive- active-droplet manipulation, concisely discussed. Recent advances circulating scaffold-free/based 3D spheroids have been systematically introduced. Finally, challenges that must be overcome further application research

Language: Английский

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Rational Design of Liquid–Liquid Microdispersion Droplet Microreactors for the Controllable Synthesis of Highly Uniform and Monodispersed Dextran Microspheres

Langmuir, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 40(28), P. 14233 - 14244

Published: July 3, 2024

Hydrogel microspheres are biocompatible materials widely used in biological and medical fields. Emulsification stirring the commonly methods to prepare hydrogels. However, size distribution is considerably wide, monodispersity mechanical intensity poor, stable operation conditions comparatively narrow meet some sophisticated applications. In this paper, a T-shaped stepwise microchannel combined with simple side structure developed explore liquid-liquid dispersion mechanism, interfacial evolution behavior, satellite droplet formation mechanism separation, eventual successful synthesis of dextran hydrogel microspheres. The effect parameters on microsphere comprehensively studied. flow pattern condition range given, mathematical prediction models under three different regimes for prediction. Based operating conditions, microdroplet-based method UV light curing synthesize microsphere. highly uniform monodispersed good synthesized microfluidic platform. could be tuned from 50 300 μm capillary number 0.006-0.742. This work not only provides facile functional polymeric preparation but also offers important design guidelines development robust microreactor.

Language: Английский

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