Microfluidic module for co-encapsulation in droplets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021237017-A1
Application number	US-201917269460-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 4, 2019
Priority date	Aug 24, 2018
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A microfluidic module for co-encapsulation in droplets of two populations of particles may include first and second modules for sorting the two populations. The modules may have their first outlets including first obstructive valves configured to at least partially obstruct the first outlets. The first outlets may be fluidly connected to a fusion module, including a fusion module means for merging at least one droplet from the first droplet population and at least one droplet from the second droplet population into a merged droplet comprising the two population of particles, and a control unit for controlling the first obstructive valves from information originating from a first and second module detection portion located upstream of the first outlets.

First claim

1 . Microfluidic module for co-encapsulation in droplets of two populations of particles, comprising:
a first module comprising:
a first module inlet for directing a first droplet population and comprising a first module detection portion for detecting said first droplet population inside said first module inlet,
a first outlet of said first module in fluid communication with said first module inlet, allowing directing said first droplet population along a first outlet trajectory of said first module and comprising a first obstructive valve of said first module configured to at least partially obstruct said first outlet of said first module,
a first module waste outlet in fluid communication with said first module inlet and with said first outlet of said first module, allowing directing a first population droplet along a first waste trajectory of said first module;
a second module comprising:
a second module inlet for directing said second droplet population and comprising a second module detection portion for detecting said second droplet population inside said second module inlet,
a first outlet of said second module in fluid communication with said second module inlet, allowing directing said second droplet population along a first outlet trajectory of said second module and comprising a first obstructive valve of said second module configured to at least partially obstruct said first outlet of said second module,
a second module waste outlet in fluid communication with said second module inlet and with said first outlet of said second module allowing directing a second population droplet along a second module waste trajectory;
a fusion module comprising:
a fusion module inlet in fluid communication with said first outlet of said first module and with said first outlet of said second module allowing directing first and second population droplets along a fusion inlet trajectory,
a fusion module means for merging at least one droplet from the first droplet population and at least one droplet from the second droplet population into a merged droplet,
a fusion module outlet in fluid communication with said fusion module inlet allowing said merged droplet to be released from said microfluidic module;
a control unit for controlling:
said first obstructive valve of said first module from information originating from said first module detection portion,
said first obstructive valve of said second module from information originating from said second module detection portion.

2 . Microfluidic module according to claim 1 , wherein said fusion module means is an obstructive valve configured to at least partially obstruct said fusion inlet to stop at least one droplet from the first droplet population and at least one droplet from the second droplet population and for merging said stopped droplets,
and wherein said control unit is configured for further controlling:
said fusion module obstructive valve from information originating from said first and second module detection portions.

3 . Microfluidic module according to claim 2 , wherein:
said fusion module further comprising a fusion module chamber surrounding at least partially said fusion module inlet and said fusion module obstructive valve, said fusion module chamber and said fusion module inlet being separated by a plurality of micro-pillars to create fluid communications able to drain a droplet carrier fluid of said first and second droplet populations from said fusion module inlet to said fusion module chamber.

4 . Microfluidic module according to claim 3 , wherein:
said first and second population droplets having first and second droplets diameters; said plurality of micro-pillars forming a micro-pillar array with micro-pillars being spaced with an inter pillar-spacing being lower than said first and second droplets diameters, preferably, said inter pillar-spacing ranging from 0.1 μm to 1000 μm and even more preferably ranging from 1 μm to 100 μm.

5 . Microfluidic module according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first module further comprising:
a first generation and encapsulation module for generating first droplets and for encapsulating first particle population into said first generated droplets in order to form a first droplet population to supply to said first module inlet, and;
said second module further comprising:
a second generation and encapsulation module for generating second droplets and for encapsulating second particle population into said second generated droplets in order to form a second droplet population to supply to said second module inlet.

6 . Microfluidic module according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first module further comprising:
a second outlet of said first module in fluid communication with said first module inlet and with said first outlet of said first module, and with said fusion module inlet allowing directing said first droplet population along a second outlet trajectory of said first module toward said fusion module inlet and comprising a second obstructive valve of said first module configured to at least partially obstruct said second outlet of said first module;
said second module further comprising:
a second outlet of said second module in fluid communication with said second module inlet and with said first outlet of said second module, and with said fusion module inlet allowing directing said second droplet population along a second outlet trajectory of said second module toward said fusion module inlet and comprising a second obstructive valve of said second module configured to at least partially obstruct said second outlet of said second module, and;
said control unit being configured for further controlling:
said second obstructive valve of said first module from information originating from said first module detection portion,
said second obstructive valve of said second module from information originating from said second module detection portion.

7 . Microfluidic module according to claim 6 , wherein:
said first module further comprises a first module lateral channel to form a fluid communication between said first and second outlets of said first module and said first module waste outlet, said second module further comprises a second module lateral channel to form a fluid communication between said first and second outlet of said second module and said second module waste outlet.

8 . Microfluidic module according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first module further comprises a first module lateral channel to form a fluid communication between said first outlet of said first module and said first module waste outlet, said second module further comprises a second module lateral channel to form a fluid communication between said first outlet of said second module and said second module waste outlet.

9 . Microfluidic module according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first outlet and said first obstructive valve of said first module form a first buffer zone for retention of a first population droplet when said valve at least partially obstructs said first outlet of said first module for buffering a first population droplet; said first outlet and said first obstructive valve of said second module form a first buffer zone for retention of a second population droplet when said valve at least partially obstructs said first outlet of said second module for buffering a second population droplet; and said control unit is configured for further controlling said first obstructive valve of said first module and said first obstructive valve of said second module for buffering a first or a second population droplet inside said first buffer zone of said first or second module respectively until detection of a dropl

Assignees

• Univ Liege

Inventors

• Gilet Tristan
• Van Loo Stéphanie

Classifications

• B01J13/08 Primary

  Simple coacervation, i.e. addition of highly hydrophilic material {(combined with spraying B01J13/043; combined with mechanical division B01J13/04)} · CPC title

• B01F2101/23

  Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials · CPC title

• B01F23/4145

  Emulsions of oils, e.g. fuel, and water · CPC title

• B01F35/2211

  Amount of delivered fluid during a period · CPC title

• B01F23/41

  Emulsifying · CPC title