Droplet Control for Microfluidics

Abstract

Future applications of microfluidic technology--in which nanoliter quantities of chemicals are processed and reacted, perhaps on an integrated chip--would immensely benefit from exquisite control of small droplets. In their Perspective, Joanicot and Ajdari discuss recent developments in droplet creation and management within microfluidic devices. New methods for microscale control, combined with better theoretical understanding, will result in precise handling of chemical processes at the single-droplet level and engineering of new materials.