Hydrodynamic Flow-Focusing Chip
Hydrodynamic core-stream focusing across flow-rate ratios, relevant to lipid nanoparticle and liposome formulation.
| Material | 3D-printed polymer (monolithic) |
| Method | Monolithic high-resolution 3D printing with integrated fluidic interconnects |
| Min feature | 400 µm channel width |
| Idea to tested device | 3 days |
THE WORKFLOW
Formulating lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), liposomes, and nano-emulsions requires rapid, diffusion-dominated mixing between a solvent-dissolved lipid core stream and aqueous sheath streams. Hydrodynamic flow focusing narrows the central stream into a thin, stable filament, accelerating diffusion across laminar interfaces before precipitation or aggregation occurs.
HOW IT WAS BUILT
Fabricated as a monolithic, optically transparent 3D-printed microfluidic device. All fluidic inlets, distribution routing, and focusing nozzle geometry are printed as a single contiguous solid, eliminating bonded seams or delamination risks under continuous flow.
BENCH CHARACTERIZATION
Evaluated across sheath-to-core flow rate ratios ranging from 1:1 (80:80 µL/min) to 6.25:1 (500:80 µL/min) using a green dye solution and water under optical microscopy. Increasing the sheath-to-core ratio dynamically squeezes the center stream into a narrow, stable filament without channel fouling, clogging, or stream instability.
HOW THIS APPLIES TO YOUR DEVICE
If your application depends on tight diffusion control (such as rapid solvent exchange in nanoparticle precipitation, sheath-flow optical cell counting, or micro-encapsulation), the nozzle geometry and focusing angles can be tuned precisely to your flow rate ratios and fluid properties. Downstream residence-time channels or inline dilution stages can also be integrated into the same monolithic chip, giving you a custom, verified formulation cartridge in days without the rigid constraints of commercial off-the-shelf chips.