Manufacturing of Drop Micro-reactors

Microfluidic studies of droplets provide a unique opportunity for optimisation of manufacturing processes with chemical reactions by statistically relevant ensembles of small drops used as micro-reactors. This approach enables a considerable reduction in reactants and energy consumption and therefore reduces ecological impact. Moreover, if a reliable high throughput microfluidic fabrication route is developed, the technology can be scaled out to enable industrially relevant production levels.

In this project, a reliable microfluidic platform for the study and control of micro-reactors will be developed by employing an approach where individual reactant solutions are first prepared inside separate drops and then the reaction is triggered by drop coalescence. This approach will be tested on the fabrication of alginate hydrogel particles using external gelation and for silver nano-particles.

Mixing patterns following the coalescence of dyed surfactant-free drop of water and surfactant-laden drop. Top row – surfactant-laden drop goes first, bottom row – surfactant-free drop goes first. The height of each picture is equal to the channel width, 360 μm.
Mixing patterns following the coalescence of dyed surfactant-free drop of water and surfactant-laden drop. Top row – surfactant-laden drop goes first, bottom row – surfactant-free drop goes first. The height of each picture is equal to the channel width, 360 μm.

A new device design will be developed enabling the reliable drop coalescence in the prescribed part of the microfluidic channel which will start the reaction. The key point for many reactions is the mass transfer inside the reactor which defines the reaction kinetics and therefore the properties of the final product. Mass transfer inside the reactor will be controlled by flow rates of the dispersed and the continuous phase in a microfluidic channel and by the presence of surfactant in drops.

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