Authorship：Last author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：American Chemical Society (ACS)  

DOI： 10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.5c00041

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Authorship：Last author,　Corresponding author   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Springer Science and Business Media LLC  

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-025-06869-y

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Other Link： https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06869-y

Authorship：Last author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：American Chemical Society (ACS)  

DOI： 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c00870

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Authorship：Last author,　Corresponding author   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：AIP Publishing  

Microfluidic systems capable of generating uniform droplets are gaining attention in food, cosmetics, biochemical, and materials applications. While conventional shear- or interfacial tension-driven nozzle devices can generate highly monodisperse droplets (CV < 5%), their scalability is limited by complex flow designs and clogging. Post-array devices have recently emerged as a high-throughput alternative, producing quasi-monodisperse droplets (CV > 12%) by sequentially breaking larger droplets using micro-post structures. These devices offer shear-dependent tunability of droplet sizes, greater resistance to clogging, and scalability. Notably, droplet size is strongly influenced by the dispersed phase fraction, enabling potential decoupling of droplet size and dispersed phase fraction. This study reviews the principles and performance of post-array devices, compares them with other droplet generation methods, and examines their similarities to droplet splitting in T-junctions and premix membrane emulsification. Challenges such as improving droplet uniformity and miniaturization are also discussed to highlight the potential of post-array systems for practical emulsification applications.

DOI： 10.1063/5.0270507

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Authorship：Last author,　Corresponding author   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：MDPI AG  

Step emulsification (SE) is renowned for its robustness in generating monodisperse emulsion droplets at arrayed nozzles. However, few studies have explored poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based SE devices for producing monodisperse oil-in-water (O/W) droplets and polymeric microspheres with diameters below 20 µm—materials with broad applicability. In this study, we present a PDMS-based microfluidic SE device designed to achieve this goal. Two devices with 264 nozzles each were fabricated, featuring straight and triangular nozzle configurations, both with a height of 4 µm and a minimum width of 10 µm. The devices were rendered hydrophilic via oxygen plasma treatment. A photocurable acrylate monomer served as the dispersed phase, while an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution acted as the continuous phase. The straight nozzles produced polydisperse droplets with diameters exceeding 30 µm and coefficient-of-variation (CV) values above 10%. In contrast, the triangular nozzles, with an opening width of 38 µm, consistently generated monodisperse droplets with diameters below 20 µm, CVs below 4%, and a maximum throughput of 0.5 mL h−1. Off-chip photopolymerization of these droplets yielded monodisperse acrylic microspheres. The low-cost, disposable, and scalable PDMS-based SE device offers significant potential for applications spanning from laboratory-scale research to industrial-scale particle manufacturing.

DOI： 10.3390/mi16020132

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