The disclosure relates to devices and methods for analyzing particles in a sample. In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides devices and methods for cytometry and additional analysis. In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a cartridge device and a reader instrument device, wherein the reader instrument device receives, operates, and/or actuates the cartridge device. In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of using a device as disclosed herein for analyzing particles in a sample.

The present disclosure provides a microchannel liquid-liquid mixing device, comprising a microchannel component and a shell, wherein the microchannel component is fixed inside the shell, wherein an inlet is provided at one end of the shell for feeding at least two reaction liquid phases, and an outlet is provided at the other end for discharging a mixed material; said microchannel component comprises multiple stacked sheets and oleophilic fiber filaments and hydrophilic fiber filaments filled in the crevices between adjacent sheets, wherein the fiber filaments form several microchannels between them, and the fiber filaments are clamped and fixed by the sheets. The microchannel liquid-liquid mixing device is used for at least two reaction liquid phases to form a mixed material, and the at least two reaction liquid phases are cut by fiber filaments and mixed in the microchannel mixing device to form a mixed material. The present invention also discloses the liquid-liquid reaction apparatus and liquid-liquid reaction process comprising the above microchannel liquid-liquid mixing device, such as an olefin hydration reaction apparatus and an olefin hydration process, and a reaction apparatus and process for producing biodiesel with transesterification.

Designs of a digital microfluidic devices are described comprising droplet control electrodes and heating electrodes that have effects in the regions for droplet manipulations. Specifically, the digital microfluidic device comprises a first substrate having liquid control electrodes for droplet control and a second substrate having heating electrodes for temperature control. Shielding electrodes are disposed on the second substrate to ensure that the heating electrodes can control the digital microfluidic device to a desired temperature profile without interfering the droplet operations such as transport, merging/mixing, splitting, particle distribution, etc.

Provided is an emulsion comprising: (a) droplets that contain a single polymeric compound or a pre-defined mixture thereof, and (b) an immiscible liquid, wherein: (i) each of the droplets comprises multiple molecules of the compound(s) contained therein; and the droplets do not contain monomeric precursors for the polymeric compound. A method for making the emulsion is also provided.

A method of performing a digital quantification of a species in an electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device comprising the steps of: inputting a sample volume into the EWOD device; inputting a diluent volume into the EWOD device; performing an electrowetting operation to generate a first sample droplet from the sample volume; performing an amplification process on the first sample droplet within the EWOD device; measuring a turn-on value for the sample droplet; comparing the measured turn-on value of the sample droplet to a target turn-on value for digital quantification; calculating a dilution factor based on the comparison of the measured turn-on value of the sample droplet to the target turn-on value; performing an electrowetting operation to extract a second sample droplet from the sample volume; performing an electrowetting operation to dilute the second sample droplet with the diluent volume in accordance with the dilution factor to form a diluted second sample droplet; and performing a digital quantification on the diluted second sample droplet to quantify an initial concentration of the species in the sample volume.

A control method and related apparatus are disclosed for controlling actuation voltages applied to array elements of an element array on an electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device, wherein test metrics are determined and employed for optimizing subsequent droplet manipulation operations. The control method includes the steps of: receiving a liquid droplet onto the element array; applying an electrowetting actuation pattern of actuation voltages to actuate the droplet to modify a footprint of the droplet from a first state having an initial footprint to a second state having a modified footprint; sensing the modified footprint with a sensor; determining a test metric from sensing the modified footprint indicative of one or more droplet properties based on a droplet response of the liquid droplet to the electrowetting actuation pattern; and controlling actuation voltages applied to the array elements based on the test metric. The test metrics may include a transition rate and/or conformance to an actuation pattern.

A magnetic digital microfluidic apparatus for manipulating a liquid droplet containing magnetic particles using a magnetic force, the apparatus comprising: a hydrophobic surface on which the liquid droplet containing magnetic particles can be moved using the magnetic force; and at least one surface energy trap provided to retain at least a portion of the liquid droplet thereon, the at least one surface energy trap comprising a layer of polydopamine. A method of magnetic digital microfluidic manipulation, the method comprising the steps of: a) contacting a liquid droplet on a hydrophobic surface with a polydopamine surface energy trap, the liquid droplet containing magnetic particles; b) retaining at least a portion of the liquid droplet on the surface energy trap; and c) moving at least the magnetic particles with a magnetic force.

An apparatus for preparing a cosmetic composition containing an emulsion substance formed by instant emulsification through a microfluidic channel is provided. The apparatus includes a housing defining the appearance of the apparatus and installed with a pump on one side, the pump being operated by a user; an external-phase chamber provided in the housing, and storing an external-phase fluid forming the external phase of the emulsion substance; a dispersed-phase chamber provided in the housing, and storing a dispersed-phase fluid forming the dispersed phase of the emulsion substance. The apparatus further includes a microfluidic channel providing a path for the external-phase fluid and the dispersed-phase fluid to flow for forming the emulsion substance by combining the external-phase fluid with the dispersed-phase fluid; and a tube for discharging the emulsion substance from the microfluidic channel.

An apparatus for creating an emulsion, including: an inlet chamber; a channel comprising a length L, height H, an inlet and an outlet, and walls having surface energies, the channel inlet adjacent to the inlet chamber. The channel inlet walls have a first surface energy and the outlet walls have a second surface energy substantially different from the first surface energy. An outlet chamber is disposed adjacent to the channel outlet, the outlet chamber height H2 being greater than the channel height H.

Disclosed are apparatuses, systems, and methods for programmable fluidic processors. In one embodiment, the invention involves manipulating droplets across a reaction surface of the processor substantially contact-free of any surfaces. The reaction surface and the electrodes of the processor may include a coating repelling the droplets. Further, the present invention provides for a suitable suspending medium for repelling droplets away from fixed surfaces.