High-flux emulsion preparation device based on 3D printing micro-fluidic chip channel

Abstract

The utility model discloses a high-flux emulsion preparation device based on a 3D printing micro-fluidic chip channel in the technical field of emulsion preparation, and aims to solve the problems that in the prior art, a preparation device capable of guaranteeing the quality and quantity of micro-emulsion and high in stability lacks, and the like, the high-flux emulsion preparation device comprises a main pipe, and a water phase channel and an emulsion collecting channel are arranged on the two sides of the main pipe respectively; an oil phase pipeline is arranged above the main pipe; a capillary incidence pipe group, an oil-phase and water-phase composite channel and a capillary collection pipe group are sequentially arranged in the main pipe, the oil-phase and water-phase composite channel is communicated with the water-phase channel through the capillary incidence pipe group and is communicated with the emulsion collection channel through the capillary collection pipe group, and the oil-phase channel is communicated with the oil-phase and water-phase composite channel. According to the utility model, the problems of difficulty in packaging and connection, difficulty in calibration and calibration and the like can be solved, so that the efficiency and the stability of microemulsion production are improved, and high-flux, uniform and stable microemulsion is generated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on a 3D printing microfluidic chip channel, belonging to the technical field of emulsion preparation. Background Art

[0002] Microfluidics is a technology that uses the principles of microfluidics to control the generation, manipulation and application of micron-scale droplets in microchannels. It usually involves the design, preparation and operation of microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems. However, the preparation of traditional microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems still has limitations in many aspects. First, due to the complexity of the manufacturing process and the high demand for processing accuracy, the manufacturing cost of microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems is relatively high, which limits the development and application of microfluidic chip technology. Secondly, since microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems need to be connected to external equipment (such as pumps, detectors, etc.) and need to be sealed and packaged to prevent leakage and contamination, their packaging and connection are more difficult, making microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems face challenges in practical applications. Furthermore, when producing microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems, there are certain differences between chips and systems produced by different manufacturers, and calibration and calibration are required to ensure the comparability and credibility of experimental results, so the standardization and calibration of microfluidic chips and microfluidic systems is still a challenge. It can be seen that the traditional microfluidic chip and microfluidic system preparation technology shows obvious technical deficiencies in its process manufacturing and cost, packaging and connection, standardization and calibration, and it is urgent to explore and develop advanced hybrid technology methods.

[0003] 3D printing technology is a technology that manufactures physical objects by stacking materials layer by layer from digital models. Because of its advantages such as high customization and flexibility, short production cycle, low cost, and convenience for remote manufacturing, it is widely used in manufacturing, medical field, education and other fields. First of all, 3D printing technology can manufacture objects with complex structures, such as internal cavities, complex geometric shapes and other structures that are difficult to achieve with traditional methods, which is conducive to meeting the high demand for the complexity of the manufacturing process of microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems. Secondly, 3D printing technology does not require the manufacture of molds, and usually builds objects layer by layer, using only the required materials, thereby reducing material waste and reducing initial investment costs. In addition, since digital design files can be easily transmitted, 3D printing technology can realize remote manufacturing on a global scale, reducing logistics costs and time, while also meeting the high demand for the manufacturing process and processing accuracy of microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems, and realizing standardized manufacturing. Therefore, 3D printing technology can well help solve the problems encountered in the manufacturing of microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems.

[0004] The quality and quantity of microemulsions are closely related to microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems. On the one hand, the size and shape of the microchannel have an important influence on the generation of microemulsions. Processing errors during the manufacturing process may cause inconsistent microchannel sizes or incomplete shapes, which in turn affect the yield, quality and stability of the microemulsions. On the other hand, microfluidic chips need to be connected to external devices and sealed to prevent leakage and contamination. During the microemulsion generation process, multiple external devices may be required for control and monitoring. The difficulties in packaging and connection may increase the complexity and failure risk of the microemulsion generation system. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and provide a high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on a 3D printed microfluidic chip channel, which can solve the problems of packaging and connection difficulty, calibration and calibration difficulty, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of microemulsion production and generating high-throughput, uniform and stable microemulsion.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the utility model is implemented by adopting the following technical scheme: a high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on 3D printed microfluidic chip channels, the device is constructed in an integrated manner through 3D printing, and comprises a main pipe, a water phase channel and an emulsion collection channel are respectively arranged on both sides of the main pipe, and an oil phase pipeline is arranged above the main pipe;

[0007] The main pipe is provided with a capillary injection tube group, an oil-phase water-phase composite channel and a capillary collection tube group in sequence. The oil-phase water-phase composite channel is connected with the water phase channel through the capillary injection tube group, and is connected with the emulsion collection channel through the capillary collection tube group. The oil phase channel is connected with the oil-phase water-phase composite channel.

[0008] Optionally, the oil-phase-water-phase composite channel is a cavity, the top of the cavity is connected to the oil phase channel, the capillary injection tube group extends into the cavity, and one end of the capillary injection tube group extending into the cavity is tapered.

[0009] Optionally, the oil phase channel includes a vertical portion and an inclined portion, the vertical portion is in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the inclined portion has a triangular cross-section, the top of which is connected to the bottom of the vertical portion.

[0010] Optionally, the number of the capillary incident tube group and the number of the capillary collection tube group are both 8.

[0011] Optionally, the water phase channel and the oil phase channel are both cylindrical.

[0012] Optionally, the inlets of the water phase channel and the oil phase channel are both connected to an external micro pump or micro syringe, and the water phase and the oil phase can be introduced into the water phase channel and the oil phase channel respectively through the micro pump or micro syringe.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0014] The utility model firstly introduces the water phase and the oil phase into the water phase channel and the oil phase channel respectively, and refines the water phase by utilizing the fluid dynamics principle and the surface tension effect inside the capillary injection tube, and the oil phase as the continuous phase generates a microemulsion by utilizing the oil phase shearing effect in the oil phase water phase composite channel, and is collected by the capillary collection tube group, and finally flows into the emulsion collection channel;

[0015] The present invention integrates microfluidic technology and 3D printing technology, which can reduce the manufacturing cost and time cost of microfluidic chips or microfluidic systems, improve the complexity of the preparation process and the processing accuracy, and use 3D printing to construct an integrated chip structure, which does not require additional microtube channel assembly, effectively solving the problems of packaging and connection difficulties, and calibration difficulties, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of microemulsion production, optimizing the morphology of droplets, and generating high-throughput, uniform, and stable microemulsions. At the same time, it also ensures the high controllability and repeatability of the emulsion preparation process, and enhances its application potential in microemulsion preparation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective structural schematic diagram of a high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on a 3D printed microfluidic chip channel in one embodiment of the utility model;

[0017] Figure 2 It is a side cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on a 3D printed microfluidic chip channel in one embodiment of the utility model;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of an oil-phase and water-phase composite channel of a high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on a 3D printed microfluidic chip channel in one embodiment of the utility model;

[0019] In the figure: 1 water phase channel, 2 main pipe, 3 oil phase channel, 31 vertical portion, 32 inclined portion, 4 capillary injection tube group, 5 oil phase and water phase composite channel, 6 capillary collection tube group, 7 emulsion collection channel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The utility model is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the utility model, and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the utility model.

[0021] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0022] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by specific circumstances.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the utility model provides a high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on a 3D printed microfluidic chip channel, which can be constructed in an integrated manner through 3D printing, and the material used is an ordinary light-cured 3D printing material.

[0024] The device includes a main pipe 2, which is square in this embodiment, but is not limited thereto, and any other shape that can realize the function of the device should be possible. A water phase channel 1 and an emulsion collection channel 7 are respectively provided on both sides of the main pipe 2, and an oil phase pipeline 3 is provided above the main pipe 2.

[0025] Combination Figure 2 In this embodiment, the water phase channel 1 and the emulsion collection channel 7 are both cylindrical, but not limited to this. The oil phase channel 3 includes a vertical portion 31 and an inclined portion 32. The vertical portion 31 is rectangular, and the inclined portion 32 has a triangular cross-section, and its top is connected to the bottom of the vertical portion 31.

[0026] The main pipe 2 is provided with a capillary injection tube group 4, an oil-phase water-phase composite channel 5 and a capillary collection tube group 6 in sequence. Figure 3 The oil-water composite channel 5 is a cavity in the main pipe 2. In this embodiment, the cavity is in the shape of a cuboid. One side of the oil-water composite channel 5 is connected to the water phase channel 1 through the capillary injection tube group 4, and the other side is connected to the emulsion collection channel 7 through the capillary collection tube group 6. The oil phase channel 3 is connected to the oil-water composite channel 1.

[0027] In this embodiment, the number of the capillary injection tube group 4 and the number of the capillary collection tube group 6 are both 8. One end of the capillary injection tube group 4 is connected to the outlet of the water phase channel 1, and the other end extends to the inside of the oil phase and water phase composite channel 5, and the end of the capillary injection tube group 4 extending into the cavity is tapered.

[0028] The inlets of the water phase channel 1 and the oil phase channel 3 are connected to an external micro pump or micro syringe, through which the water phase and the oil phase can be introduced into the water phase channel 1 and the oil phase channel 3, respectively. In some embodiments, the flow rate of the water phase is 0.01-0.8 mL / min, and the flow rate of the oil phase is 0.05-1.6 mL / min.

[0029] The device is further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments:

[0030] In this embodiment, the specific structural parameters of the high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on the 3D printed microfluidic chip channel are as follows:

[0031] The inner diameter of the tube mouth of the water phase channel 1 is 1.89mm, the outer diameter is 3.76mm, and the channel length is 7.06mm; the square tube mouth diameter of the oil phase channel 3 is 1.91mm, the circular tube mouth diameter is 3.57mm, and the channel height is 7.23mm; the inner diameter of the outlet tube mouth of the emulsion collection channel 7 is 1.89mm, the outer diameter is 3.76mm, and the channel length is 9.48mm; the inner diameter of the inlet tube mouth of the capillary incident tube group 4 is 100μm, the inner diameter of the outlet tube mouth of the capillary incident tube group 4 is 50μm, and the inner diameter of the conical tube mouth of the capillary collection tube group 6 is 200μm.

[0032] Preparation of oil phase: Select any one or more oily substances and a mixed solution of a surfactant with shear thinning properties as the oil phase. In this preparation operation, the oil phase is an external phase, which is a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and dimethyl silicone oil (viscosity 10 cst) in a ratio of 8:2, and 3% of Dow Corning RSN-0749 is added as a surfactant.

[0033] Prepare the aqueous phase: the aqueous phase is used as the inner phase, and a polyvinyl alcohol aqueous solution is selected: polyvinyl alcohol is dissolved in deionized water, stirred at 70°C~85°C for 10h~12h, and then filtered with a 0.45μm filter to obtain an aqueous phase solution, wherein the volume ratio of polyvinyl alcohol to deionized water is 1:19.

[0034] The coaxial flow method is used to prepare the water-in-oil emulsion. The oil phase and the water phase are sampled by microfluidic pumps respectively. The diameter of the obtained emulsion droplets is adjusted by adjusting the flow rate of each inlet: the flow rate of the external oil phase is 0.01mL / min~0.8mL / min, and it is passed into the chip from the external phase inlet, and then the external oil phase will pass through the oil phase channel into the subsequent oil phase and water phase mixing channel. The internal water phase is passed through the internal phase inlet at 0.05mL / min~1.6mL / min, and then split into 8 independent fluids by the capillary array and enter the oil phase and water phase mixing channel. In the subsequent oil phase and water phase mixing channel, the external oil phase will shear and squeeze the internal water phase, thereby continuously forming water droplets of uniform size, thereby forming an oil-in-water emulsion. The diameter of the emulsion prepared by the device provided by the utility model is in the range of 50μm~200μm, and the emulsion size is uniform and stable.

[0035] Compared with the flow rates of the water phase and the oil phase in the conventional emulsion preparation operation, the flow rate in the experimental preparation is significantly greater than the former. This is mainly due to the batch preparation of the emulsion in the utility model, the uniform size of the microchannel, the stable flow rate, and the use of 8 capillary arrays in the device to prepare the emulsion at the same time, which highlights the characteristics of the invention, such as high solution flux, high preparation efficiency, and uniform and stable emulsion size.

[0036] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on 3D printed microfluidic chip channels, characterized in that: The device is constructed in an integrated manner by 3D printing, and comprises a main pipe, a water phase channel and an emulsion collection channel are respectively provided on both sides of the main pipe, and an oil phase pipeline is provided above the main pipe; The main pipe is provided with a capillary injection tube group, an oil-phase water-phase composite channel and a capillary collection tube group in sequence. The oil-phase water-phase composite channel is connected with the water phase channel through the capillary injection tube group, and is connected with the emulsion collection channel through the capillary collection tube group. The oil phase channel is connected with the oil-phase water-phase composite channel.

2. The high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on 3D printing microfluidic chip channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil-water composite channel is a cavity, the upper part of the cavity is connected with the oil phase channel, the capillary injection tube group extends into the cavity, and one end of the capillary injection tube group extending into the cavity is tapered.

3. The high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on 3D printing microfluidic chip channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil phase channel comprises a vertical portion and an inclined portion, wherein the vertical portion is in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the inclined portion has a triangular cross section, the top of which is connected to the bottom of the vertical portion.

4. The high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on 3D printing microfluidic chip channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the capillary incident tube group and the number of the capillary collecting tube group are both 8.

5. The high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on 3D printing microfluidic chip channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water phase channel and the oil phase channel are both cylindrical.

6. The high-throughput emulsion preparation device based on 3D printing microfluidic chip channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inlets of the water phase channel and the oil phase channel are both connected to an external micro pump or micro syringe, and the water phase and the oil phase can be introduced into the water phase channel and the oil phase channel respectively through the micro pump or micro syringe.

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