Electrochemical pH regulation in droplet microfluidics

Lab Chip. 2022 Feb 1;22(3):632-640. doi: 10.1039/d1lc00952d.

Abstract

We report a method for electrochemical pH regulation in microdroplets generated in a microfluidic device. The key finding is that controlled quantities of reagents can be generated electrochemically in moving microdroplets confined within a microfluidic channel. Additionally, products generated at the anode and cathode can be isolated within descendant microdroplets. Specifically, ∼5 nL water-in-oil microdroplets are produced at a T-junction and then later split into two descendant droplets. During splitting, floor-patterned microelectrodes drive water electrolysis within the aqueous microdroplets to produce H+ and OH-. This results in a change in the pHs of the descendant droplets. The droplet pH can be regulated over a range of 5.9 to 7.7 by injecting controlled amounts of charge into the droplets. When the injected charge is between -6.3 and 54.5 nC nL-1, the measured pH of the resulting droplets is within ±0.1 pH units of that predicted based on the magnitude of the injected charge. This technique can likely be adapted to electrogeneration of other reagents within microdroplets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices*
  • Microelectrodes
  • Microfluidics*
  • Water

Substances

  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Water