On-Demand Droplet Merging with an AC Electric Field for Multiple-Volume Droplet Generation

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Teo, Adrian JT
Tan, Say Hwa
Nguyen, Nam-Trung
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2020
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Abstract

We introduce a unique system to achieve on-demand droplet merging and splitting using a perpendicular AC electric field. The working mechanism involves a micropillar to split droplets, followed by electrocoalescence using an AC electric field. Adjusting the parameters of the AC signal and conductivity of the fluid result in different merging regimes. We observed a minimum threshold voltage and a strong influence of the surfactant. We hypothesize that the merging process is caused by dipole–dipole coalescence between the daughter droplets. At the same time, adjustment of the conductivity reveals a shift in the merging regimes and can be explained with an electric circuit diagram. Size-based sorting using this merging phenomenon is subsequently demonstrated, where alternate, single, double, and triple droplets sorting were achieved. The concept presented in this paper is potentially useful for drug dispensing or multivolume digital polymerase chain reaction, as droplets of multiple sizes can be generated simultaneously.

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Analytical Chemistry

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92

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1

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This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Analytical Chemistry, © 2020 American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04219

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Analytical chemistry

Other chemical sciences

Medical biochemistry and metabolomics

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Chemistry, Analytical

Chemistry

COALESCENCE

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Teo, AJT; Tan, SH; Nguyen, N-T, On-Demand Droplet Merging with an AC Electric Field for Multiple-Volume Droplet Generation, Analytical Chemistry, 2020, 92 (1), pp. 1147-1153

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