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A portable modular acoustic streaming vortex platform for flexible and robust fabrication of monodisperse micromaterials

delete2026-05-01
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PRE
AI
M
Miao, Xiaoping
T
T. Chen
F
Fu, Jijie
Z
Zhu, Shilu
M
Mei Lan
F
Fu, Huayi
Z
Zhu, Zhiqiang
S
Sun, Mingzhai
R
Ronald X. Xu *
DOI:10.1039/d6lc00054adelete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Droplet microfluidics is indispensable for precision fabrication of microscale functional materials, with broad applications in biomedical engineering, flexible electronics, and materials science. However, conventional microchannel-based systems suffer from high cost, complex fabrication, and nozzle-orifice-dependent size limitation, as well as the lack of robustness and flexibility to process complex fluids. To address these critical challenges, this research developed a modular acoustic streaming vortex (MASV) platform assembled from commercial off-the-shelf components. By synergistically modulating piezoelectric driving (PD) and amplitude modulation (AM) frequencies, the platform achieves ultra-broad size tunability (13-750 mu m) of monodisperse microdroplets with a fixed nozzle (inner diameter of outlet similar to 0.16 mm). Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that the MASV platform can efficiently process complex fluids (liquid metals and glycerol solutions) while exhibiting millisecond-scale real-time tunability and stable continuous operation for up to 8 hours. Notably, the study found that ejecting regime transition from dripping to jetting can be realized by reducing two-phase interfacial tension, thus supporting programmable fabrication of functional microfibers. This low-cost, versatile platform integrates modularity, nozzle-independent size control, complex fluid compatibility, and long-term stability, holding significant potential in flexible production of functional micromaterials.
Keywords:
droplet microfluidics
acoustic streaming vortex
monodisperse microdroplets
complex fluids
modular platform

Journal

L
Lab on a Chip
IF:
5.4
Papers:
9.0K
Citations:
3.3W

Organization

U
university of science & technology of china, cas
Scholars:
3.2W
Papers: 2.7W
Citations: 74
C
chinese academy of sciences
Scholars:
54.9W
Papers: 44.5W
Citations: 703
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