T-shaped droplet generator - topconnect

One simple but very effective way to clean a microchip is to flush an alkaline solution through the channels. A solution of 1 M sodium hydroxide in water works well, but a lower concentration might also be sufficient. If traces of the cleaning solution remain inside the chip after cleaning, rinse with water or ammonia. Note that caustic solutions can cause damage to e.g. the polyimide coating of fused silica capillaries. Further, plastic parts should not be exposed to alkaline solutions.

To remove particulate matter from your chip, a water bath with ultrasonic agitation can be used, preferably while flushing a watery solution through the channels using a Fluidic connection kit.

Glass microchips can be heated (e.g. >400° C) causing any organic material on the glass surface to degrade. Try to use lower temperatures first because burning the content could make it stick. Make sure you only heat the glass chip and not the plastic parts around it.

Concentrated sulfuric acid works well to dissolve organic material, such as fibres, that are difficult to remove with alkaline solutions. Always keep in mind that you are working with extremely corrosive material.

Please note that chips that were coated by Micronit have different guidelines for cleaning!

We recommend using a high precision pumping system. Regular syringe pumps often don't work very well for droplet generators. There are several high precision pumping systems on the market that work with different pumping principles.

To name one, we'd like to mention that we have had positive experiences with the equipment Fluigent offers: https://www.fluigent.com/

This depends on many things. For example on the type of fluid that you are using. Check our flowrate instructions to find out how to start.

Decrease your flowrate. Check our flowrate instructions for a more acurate explanation.

Use our surfactant guide for advice on surfactants.

Have a look at our article about surface wetting properties.

Amoyav, Benzion, and Ofra Benny "Controlled and tunable polymer particles’ production using a single microfluidic device." Applied Nanoscience (2018): 1-10. Abstract Microfluidics technology offers a new platform to control liquids under flow in small...

Lucio, Adam A., et al. "Spatiotemporal variation of endogenous cell-generated stresses within 3D multicellular spheroids." Scientific reports 7.1 (2017): 12022. Abstract Multicellular spheroids serve as an excellent platform to study tissue behavior...