Universal logic gates via liquid-electronic hybrid divider.

We demonstrated two-input microdroplet-based universal logic gates using a liquid-electronic hybrid divider. All 16 Boolean logic functions have been realized by manipulating the applied voltages. The novel platform consists of a microfluidic chip with integrated microdroplet detectors and external electronic components.

Electrorheological fluid and its applications in microfluidics.

Microfluidics is a low-cost technique for fast-diagnosis and microsynthesis. Within a decade it might become the foundation of point-of-care and lab-on-a-chip applications. With microfluidic chips, high-throughput sample screening and information processing are made possible.

Logic control of microfluidics with smart colloid.

We report the successful realization of a microfluidic chip with switching and corresponding inverting functionalities. The chips are identical logic control components incorporating a type of smart colloid, giant electrorheological fluid (GERF), which possesses reversible characteristics via a liquid-solid phase transition under external electric field. Two pairs of electrodes embedded on the sides of two microfluidic channels serve as signal input and output, respectively.

Electroporation of micro-droplet encapsulated HeLa cells in oil phase.

Electroporation (EP) is a method widely used to introduce foreign genes, drugs or dyes into cells by permeabilizing the plasma membrane with an external electric field. A variety of microfluidic EP devices have been reported so far. However, further integration of prior and posterior EP processes turns out to be very complicated, mainly due to the difficulty of developing an efficient method for precise manipulation of cells in microfluidics.

A simple method for fabricating multi-layer PDMS structures for 3D microfluidic chips.

We report a simple methodology to fabricate PDMS multi-layer microfluidic chips. A PDMS slab was surface-treated by trichloro (1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl) silane, and acts as a reusable transferring layer. Uniformity of the thickness of the patterned PDMS layer and the well-alignment could be achieved due to the transparency and proper flexibility of this transferring layer.

Design and fabrication of monodisperse hollow titania microspheres from a microfluidic droplet-template.

We report a facile microfluidic methodology to fabricate monodisperse hollow titania microspheres with a tunable surface morphology.

Polydimethylsiloxane-integratable micropressure sensor for microfluidic chips.

A novel microfluidic pressure sensor which can be fully integrated into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is reported. The sensor produces electrical signals directly. We integrated PDMS-based conductive composites into a 30 mum thick membrane and bonded it to the microchannel side wall.