A 3D-printed microfluidic device for integrated droplet generation and sorting

Abstract

3D printing has been becoming increasingly helpful and economical for the rapid fabrication of microstructures recently. In this study, we have employed a low-cost stereolithography 3D printer to fabricate a polymeric microfluidic device consisting of a flow-focusing droplet generator (orifice size, 210 μm) and periodical arrays of square micro-posts (210 μm x 210 μm) with the height of 420 μm for the sorting of the droplets based on their sizes. Using a photocurable acrylate monomer as the dispersed phase and aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution as the continuous phase, we observed the formation of primary droplets with an average diameter of 240 μm together with the satellite droplets. Subsequently, the produced main and satellite droplets were continuously separated through the periodical micro-post arrays based on their sizes.