An apparatus for forming a plurality of microdroplets from a droplet includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate and having a plurality of hydrophilic surface regions spaced apart from each other by a hydrophobic surface, and a plurality of electrodes covered by the dielectric layer. The electrodes are configured to form an electric field across the droplet in response to voltages provided by a control circuit to move the droplet across the dielectric layer in a lateral direction while leaving portions of the droplet on the hydrophilic surface regions to form the plurality of microdroplets on the hydrophilic surface regions.

A method is provided comprising loading shells into shell retention chambers of a shell management module, the shells including corresponding reservoirs configured to hold individual quantities of liquid, the shell retention chambers arranged in a predetermined pattern on a platform of the shell management module. The method further comprises orienting discharge ends of the shells along an actuation direction within the shell retention chambers, and covering the discharge ends with closure lids to seal bottoms of the corresponding reservoirs.

Provided is a liquid droplet collection device including: a substrate having a hydrophobic surface; and a hydrophilic channel arranged in the hydrophobic surface, wherein the hydrophilic channel includes: a first-generation channel including a plurality of tapered channel portions radially extending from an origin point and monotonically tapering with increasing distance from the origin point; and a second-generation channel that includes a plurality of tapered channel portions radially extending from an origin point and monotonically tapering with increasing distance from the origin point, and is scaled down in size as compared to the first-generation channel, wherein the second-generation channel is joined to the first-generation channel to face the same direction as the first-generation channel, and wherein one of the tapered channel portions of the second-generation channel overlaps a distal end portion of one of the tapered channel portions of the first-generation channel, and the hydrophilic channel monotonically tapers from a proximal end of one of the tapered channel portions of the first-generation channel to a distal end of one of the tapered channel portions of the second-generation channel.

Air-matrix digital microfluidics (DMF) apparatuses and methods of using them to prevent or limit evaporation and surface fouling of the DMF apparatus. In particular, described herein are air-matrix DMF apparatuses and methods of using them in which a separate well that is accessible from the air gap of the DMF apparatus isolates a reaction droplet by including a cover to prevent evaporation. The cover may be a lid or cap, or it may be an oil or wax material within the well. The opening into the well and/or the well itself may include actuation electrodes to allow the droplet to be placed into, and in some cases removed from, the well. Also described herein are air-matrix DMF apparatuses and methods of using them including thermally controllable regions with a wax material that may be used to selectively encapsulate a reaction droplet in the air gap of the apparatus.

A miniaturized, automated method for controlled printing of large arrays of nano- to femtoliter droplets by actively transporting mother droplets over hydrophilic-in-hydrophobic (“HIH”) micropatches. The technology uses single or double-plate devices where mother droplets can be actuated and HIH micropatches on one or both plates of the device where the droplets are printed. Due to the selective wettability of the hydrophilic micropatches in a hydrophobic matrix, large nano- to femtoliter droplet arrays are created when mother droplets are transported over the arrays. The parent droplets are moved by various droplet actuation principles. Also, a method using two plates placed one top another while being separated by a spacer. One plate is dedicated to confirming and guiding parent droplets by using hydrophilic patches in a hydrophobic matrix, while the other plate contains HIH arrays for printing of the droplets. When the parent droplet guidance plate is rotated over the plate dedicated to printing of nano- to femtoliter droplets, the droplets are dispensed inside the HIH array utilizing their selective wettability. The methods allow the parent droplets to move over the HIH arrays many times, providing advantages for performing bio-assays or miniaturized materials synthesis in nano- to femtoliter sized droplets. With controlled evaporation of the dispensed droplets of solution, large arrays of printed material can be generated in seconds. The methods provide a nano- to femtoliter droplet printing technique for a wide variety of applications, e.g., protein- or cell-based bio-assays or printing of crystalline structures, suspensions of nanoparticles or microelectronic components.

Provided are a temperature control system, a detection system and a temperature control method for a micro-fluidic chip. The temperature control system includes a circuit structure in a functional layer of the micro-fluidic chip, corresponding to a reaction zone of the micro-fluidic chip, and including at least two thermistors and an input port and an output port, wherein the input port and the output port are electrically coupled through the thermistors to form an application circuit; and a controller electrically coupled to each port and configured to select a first input port and a first output port, such that the circuit structure is configured to form a first application circuit as a heating device, and to select a second input port and a second output port, such that the circuit structure is configured to form a second application circuit as a temperature sensor.

A foldable digital microfluidic (DMF) device using a flexible electronic platform and methods of making same is disclosed. The foldable DMF device includes a flexible polyimide substrate with thin copper features that is foldable to provide opposing substrates. The foldable DMF device further includes a flexible polyimide dielectric layer also with thin copper features. In some embodiments, the structure for forming the presently disclosed foldable DMF device is based on the use of blind vias. In some embodiments, the foldable DMF device includes one droplet actuation layer. In other embodiments, the foldable DMF device includes multiple droplet actuation layers. Additionally, a method of making the foldable DMF device is provided.

A device comprising: plurality of Stationary Nanoliter Droplet Array (SNDA) components; each SNDA component comprising: at least one primary channel; at least one secondary channel; and a plurality of nano-wells that are each open to the primary channel and are each connected by one or more vents to the secondary channel; the vents are configured to enable passage of air solely from the nano-wells to the secondary channel, such that when a liquid is introduced into the primary channel it fills the nano-wells, and the originally accommodated air is evacuated via the vents and the secondary channel/s; an inlet port and a distribution channel configured to enable a simultaneous introduction of the liquid into all primary channels; and an outlet port and an evacuation channel configured to enable a simultaneous evacuation of the air out of all the secondary channels.

A microfluidic device includes at least one substrate formed of one or more silicon wafers. The substrate includes an inlet for receiving a continuous phase fluid; an inlet for receiving a dispersed phase fluid; and a plurality of channels. The plurality of channels are in fluid communication with both the inlet of the continuous phase fluid and the inlet of the dispersed phase fluid. The substrate further includes a plurality of droplet generators configured to produce microdroplets. Each of the droplet generators are in fluid communication with the plurality of channels. Additionally, the substrate includes one or more outlets for delivery of the microdroplets. The number of the plurality of droplet generators is more than two greater than a number of the one or more outlets for delivery of the microdroplets.

In an embodiment, a device includes: an electrode configured to change a contact angle of a liquid droplet above the electrode when a first voltage is applied to the electrode; a sensing film overlaying the electrode, wherein the electrode is configured for assessment of a state of the liquid droplet based on a second voltage sensed at the electrode; a reference electrode above the electrode, the reference electrode configured to provide a reference voltage; and a microfluidic channel between the electrode and the reference electrode, wherein the microfluidic channel is configured to manipulate the liquid droplet using the electrode.