Magnetic liquid drop synthesizer based on magnetic field drive
Technical Field
The invention relates to the technical field of microfluidics, in particular to a magnetic liquid drop synthesizing device based on magnetic field driving.
Background
Microfluidic technology is an advanced technology for controlling and manipulating microscale fluids, and is centered on the use of micro-channels and fine structures to achieve precise control of liquid flow and mixing at the micron-scale. The droplet synthesis technology is one of the microfluidic technologies that is based on efficient manipulation of fluids, achieving rapid mixing and reaction with low flow rates at the microscale, while greatly reducing the amount of reagents and samples used. In recent years, a droplet synthesis technology has been significantly advanced, and a mechanism such as a shearing force, a pressure difference, or a fluid interfacial tension can efficiently generate droplets of a uniform size. The fine control improves the stability and repeatability of the liquid drop generation, and is widely applied to a plurality of fields such as biomedical detection, chemical reaction, material synthesis and the like.
The current common droplet synthesis technology comprises a microfluidic chip method, a spray method and a copolymer method, wherein the microfluidic chip method can accurately control the flow rate of liquid and the droplet size to realize uniform droplet generation, but the microfluidic chip fluid control system is complex, difficult in design and manufacturing process and not applicable to high-viscosity fluid. The spraying method has simple structure and high generation efficiency, but the uniformity of liquid drop generation is poor. The copolymer method is easy to operate, can realize the accurate control of liquid drops, but needs a complex synthesis environment, and has long synthesis period and low efficiency.
Disclosure of Invention
In order to solve the defects in the prior art, the invention provides a magnetic liquid drop synthesizer based on magnetic field driving, which utilizes a flow focusing system to generate stable and continuous liquid drops, enters a magnetic field adjusting area to be magnetized under the driving of continuous phase solution, is further mixed through an S-shaped mixing pipe after the Y-shaped conveying pipe is primarily fused, has a simple structure, and improves the efficiency and uniformity of liquid drop synthesis.
In order to achieve the above purpose, the invention adopts the following technical scheme: the utility model provides a magnetism liquid drop synthesizer based on magnetic field drive, includes flow focusing system, magnetic field adjustment region and S type hybrid tube, flow focusing system includes T type three-way pipe and two capillaries, two capillaries parallel symmetry lay in the middle pipeline both sides of T type three-way pipe, and the terminal of two capillaries is respectively as first dispersed phase solution import and second dispersed phase solution import, and the tip of two capillaries stretches into the corresponding position of the both sides pipeline of T type three-way pipe respectively, three mouth of pipe of T type three-way pipe is as three continuous phase solution import, magnetic field adjustment region includes Y type conveyer pipe and two magnetic forming mechanisms, Y type conveyer pipe' S two bifurcation pipeline parallel arrangement forms two continuous phase pipelines, two continuous phase pipelines respectively with the both sides pipeline intercommunication setting of T type three-way pipe, and two continuous phase pipelines respectively with two coaxial opposite arrangement of capillary, two magnetic forming mechanisms are installed respectively on two continuous phase pipelines, magnetic forming mechanisms include the conductive coil winding outside the continuous phase pipeline, conductive coil connects the controller to carry out magnetic field strength and direction and control with the main pipe of S type hybrid tube of Y type conveyer pipe.
Further, the first dispersed phase solution inlet and the second dispersed phase solution inlet are respectively connected with a non-pulsation pump through a hose to supply two dispersed phase solutions, the two dispersed phase solutions are pre-mixed with magnetic particles, and the three continuous phase solution inlets are respectively connected with the non-pulsation pump through a hose to supply the continuous phase solution.
Furthermore, the T-shaped three-way pipe, the two capillary pipes, the Y-shaped conveying pipe and the S-shaped mixing pipe of the magnetic field adjusting area of the flow focusing system are integrally formed by glass, and a hose connected with the pulse-free pump is a PTFE hose.
Further, the magnetic particles are Alnico nanoscale magnetic particles.
Further, the S-shaped mixing tube comprises gentle straight sections of mixing curved sections which are alternately arranged.
Further, the magnetic field shields are respectively covered outside the conductive coils of the two magnetizing mechanisms.
Furthermore, the magnetic field shield is made of silicon steel.
Further, the conductive coil is made of nickel-copper alloy.
Further, the capillary has an inner diameter of 10-100 μm.
Compared with the prior art, the invention has the beneficial effects that: the device generates stable continuous liquid drops by the two disperse phase solutions mixed with the magnetic particles through the flow focusing system, the stable continuous liquid drops enter the magnetic field adjusting area under the drive of the continuous phase solution, the magnetic particles inside the magnetized liquid drops form a directional magnetic field under the adjustment of the magnetizing mechanism, the magnetic particles are mutually attracted to each other under the action of the magnetic field to carry out preliminary fusion after being converged through the Y-shaped conveying pipe, the application range of fluid synthesis is effectively improved, the liquid drops after preliminary fusion pass through the S-shaped mixing pipe, the stay time of the liquid drops in the pipeline is prolonged, the contact fusion opportunity is increased, the bent flow path of the S-shaped mixing pipe can generate additional shearing force and vortex, the mixing and fusion of the liquid drops are further promoted, the efficiency and uniformity of liquid drop synthesis are improved, and the device has a simple and reasonable integral structure, and is easier to realize and apply compared with the traditional complex fluid control system.
Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the overall structure of the device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a flow focusing system for generating droplets in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the structure of an S-shaped mixing tube according to the present invention.
1. A first dispersed phase solution inlet; 2. a second dispersed phase solution inlet; 3. a continuous phase solution inlet; 4. a continuous phase conduit; 5. a conductive coil; 6. a magnetic field shield; 7. a magnetic field controller; 8. an S-shaped mixing tube; 9. a mixing curved section; 10. a gentle straight line segment.
Detailed Description
The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is apparent that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the invention, but not all embodiments, and all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative efforts based on the embodiments of the present invention are all within the protection scope of the present invention.
As shown in fig. 1 to 3, a magnetic droplet synthesizing apparatus based on magnetic field driving includes a flow focusing system, a magnetic field adjusting region, and an S-shaped mixing tube 8.
Referring to fig. 1, the flow focusing system includes a T-shaped tee and two capillaries, where the two capillaries are symmetrically arranged on two sides of a middle pipe section of the T-shaped tee in parallel, the ends of the two capillaries are respectively used as a first dispersed phase solution inlet 1 and a second dispersed phase solution inlet 2, the tips of the two capillaries respectively extend into corresponding positions of two pipe sections of the T-shaped tee, the inner diameter of the capillaries is 10-100 μm, and three pipe orifices of the T-shaped tee are used as three continuous phase solution inlets 3. The first dispersed phase solution inlet 1 and the second dispersed phase solution inlet 2 are respectively connected with a non-pulsating pump through a hose to supply two dispersed phase solutions, the two dispersed phase solutions are pre-mixed with magnetic particles, the magnetic particles are Alnico nano-scale magnetic particles, the three continuous phase solution inlets 3 are respectively connected with the non-pulsating pump through a hose to supply the continuous phase solution, the non-pulsating pump is connected with a hose, the size, the speed, the mixing concentration and the synthesis frequency of liquid drops are preferably regulated by controlling the flow rate, the inlet pressure, the phase viscosity and the pore size.
The principle of the flow focusing system for generating liquid drops is combined with that shown in fig. 2, the configured disperse phase solution is driven by a pulse-free pump to be fed into the capillary tube, the continuous phase solution is driven by the pulse-free pump to be fed into two side tube sections of the T-shaped three-way tube, the disperse phase solution flowing out from the tip of the capillary tube and the continuous phase solution from two sides are intersected at a central point, and the disperse phase solution is continuously sheared under the action of flowing shearing force and surface tension until stable and uniform liquid drops are formed.
The magnetic field adjusting area comprises a Y-shaped conveying pipe and two magnetizing mechanisms, two bifurcation pipe sections of the Y-shaped conveying pipe are arranged in parallel to form two continuous phase pipelines 4, the two continuous phase pipelines 4 are respectively communicated with two side pipe sections of the T-shaped three-way pipe, the two continuous phase pipelines 4 are respectively and coaxially oppositely arranged with the two capillaries, the two magnetizing mechanisms are respectively arranged on the two continuous phase pipelines 4, each magnetizing mechanism comprises a conductive coil 5 wound outside the continuous phase pipeline 4 and is made of nickel-copper alloy, and two ends of each conductive coil 5 are connected with a magnetic field controller 7 for controlling the magnetic field intensity and the direction.
In order to avoid interference of surrounding magnetic fields, magnetic field shields 6 may be respectively provided outside the conductive coils 5 of the two magnetizing mechanisms. The magnetic field protection cover 6 is larger than the area of the conductive coil 5, is made of silicon steel material, is tightly buckled on the continuous phase pipeline 4 while wrapping the conductive coil 5, and only allows the connecting wire of the conductive coil 5 and the magnetic field controller 7 to pass through. The region inside the magnetic field protection cover 6 is a magnetic field controllable region, electromagnetic induction can be generated by electrifying the conductive coil 5 so as to generate a magnetic field, the magnetic field protection cover 6 can effectively shield surrounding magnetic fields from interfering with liquid drop synthesis, and the magnetic field controller 7 can change the magnitude of an electric signal and the direction of current so as to control the intensity and the direction of the magnetic field, so that magnetic particles in the liquid drops generate a directional magnetic field. For convenience in controlling the magnetic field strength, the diameter of the conductive coil 5 is preferably as small as possible while covering a large area of the continuous phase conduit 4.
Referring to fig. 3, the S-shaped mixing tube 8 is connected to the main tube section of the Y-shaped conveying tube, and the S-shaped mixing tube 8 includes smooth straight-line sections 10 of mixing curved sections 9 arranged alternately, where the mixing curved sections 9 generate vortexes and recirculation due to the increase of the curvature of the tube, so that the mixing efficiency of the liquid drops can be increased, and the flow condition of the smooth straight-line sections 10 is relatively gentle, so that the liquid drops can be prevented from being broken due to too large disturbance, and therefore, the mixing effect of the S-shaped mixing tube 8 can be enhanced by generating chaotic convection, and the uniformity of mixing of the liquid drops can be further improved. In addition, the degree of curvature of the mixing curve 9 and the length of the gentle straight section 10 in the S-shaped mixing tube 8 can be modified as desired to meet the requirements of different fluid mixtures.
In order to improve the integrity of the pipeline, the T-shaped three-way pipe, the Y-shaped conveying pipe of the two capillary pipes and the magnetic field adjusting area of the flow focusing system and the S-shaped mixing pipe 8 are preferably integrally formed by glass.
Before the synthesis of the liquid drops, the magnetic particles are added into two disperse phase solutions to be synthesized and stirred sufficiently, so that the magnetic particles are dissolved in the disperse phase solution sufficiently, and the liquid drops have magnetism. The prepared continuous phase solution and the two disperse phase solutions are respectively driven to be fed into three continuous phase solution inlets 3, a first disperse phase solution inlet 1 and a second disperse phase solution inlet 2 through a pulse-free pump. The method comprises the steps of starting a pulse-free pump of a continuous phase solution during pumping, setting a required flow rate, opening the pulse-free pumps of two disperse phase solutions after the continuous phase solution is fully filled in a pipeline and flows out, continuously shearing the disperse phase solution and the continuous phase solution under the action of flowing shearing force and surface tension until stable and uniform liquid drops are formed, enabling the liquid drops generated by the two disperse phase solutions to enter respective magnetic field adjustment areas under the driving of the continuous phase solution, forming a directional magnetic field through a magnetizing mechanism, merging at the intersection point of a Y-shaped conveying pipe for primary merging, generating shearing force and vortex through an S-shaped mixing pipe for completing further mixing, and finally discharging and collecting.
In summary, the solution adopts the magnetic field driven liquid drop synthesis technology, utilizes the flexibility and adjustability of an external magnetic field to control the synthesis and flow of liquid drops, does not depend on a complex fluid control system and an accurate control mechanism, effectively controls the synthesis process of the liquid drops by adjusting the strength and the direction of the magnetic field, is suitable for various fluid properties, is not easily influenced by the viscosity and the complexity of the fluid, is relatively simple and easy to operate as a whole, is convenient for quickly adjusting parameters in experiments, and meets changeable experimental requirements.
It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. Any reference sign in a claim should not be construed as limiting the claim concerned.
Furthermore, it should be understood that although the present disclosure describes embodiments, not every embodiment is provided with a separate embodiment, and that this description is provided for clarity only, and that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described in detail below, and that the embodiments described in the examples may be combined as appropriate to form other embodiments that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.