Microdroplet Technologies

Controlled generation of micro-droplets is of significant interest for a large variety of applications in pharmaceutical industry, additive manufacturing, electronic manufacturing, etc. Today droplet jetting based systems are being used for defining conductive and dielectric patterns for the electronic industry on non-standard and curved surfaces. In pharmaceutical industry precise dosage can be delivered using microdroplet jetting techniques. Single cell trapping and their multi-omic analysis is being enabled by microdroplet generation technologies. Droplet jetting based 3D printing is useful not only in conventional manufacturing but also bioprinting of cells for fabrication of artificial tissues and organs. Using a high-speed camera, we have been experimentally investigating interaction of droplets with superhydrophobic meshes. Depending on the impact velocity, several interesting phenomena are observed. Based upon the insight gained from the fundamental studies we have developed a technique to jet microdroplets with precise control. We have also developed a technology to print a large array of droplets using patterned superhydrophobic surfaces.