On-demand Microfluidic Manipulation of Thermally Stable Water-in-Perfluorocarbon Emulsions

Abstract

Monodispersed thermally stable aqueous emulsions were generated in perfluorocarbon oil with penta-block copolymers of fluorocarbon and poly(ethylene oxide-b-propylene oxide-b-ethylene oxide), which are controlled in guided channels of microfluidic devices, which were essentially the protrusion on top of microfluidic channels. Aqueous emulsions could stably follow the guide channels and sequentially stored at dead ends of guide channels. Depending on the size ratio of emulsion to trapping region, one or two emulsions were stored in two-dimensional arrays on demand. By adding pneumatic valve actuators on top of guide channel, they could be stored or released on demand or as programmed. Furthermore, by encapsulating colloidal particles and Hela cells in the thermally stable water-in-perfluorocarbon emulsions, we demonstrated that particle-laden and cellladen emulsions could be manipulated in controlled and programmed manner.