Droplet Technology

Droplet technology is an advanced microfluidic approach that enables the generation and manipulation of ultra-small, discrete fluid volumes (picoliter to nanoliter scale) within immiscible carrier phases (e.g., oil-water systems). By leveraging precise control over interfacial tension and flow dynamics in microchannels, this technology creates monodisperse droplets that serve as isolated microreactors. Each droplet functions as an independent unit, allowing for high-throughput, parallelized processing of biological, chemical, or environmental samples.

1-29-droplet-technology-1 Fig. 1 Generation of droplet on an open droplet microfluidic platform 1

Key Advantages

1-29-droplet-technology-2

Applications

Life Science
- Single-Cell Analysis: High-throughput encapsulation of single cell for parallel genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic profiling at the individual cell level.
- Synthetic Biology: High-throughput screening of engineered microbial strains in droplet microreactors.
Pharmaceutical Development
- Drug Synthesis: Encapsulation of reagents in droplets for parallel synthesis of drug candidates
- Drug Discovery: Encapsulation of compounds and cells for accelerated toxicity/ efficacy testing, high-throughput screening of enzymes/antibodies/drug candidates.
- Drug Delivery: Droplet-based synthesis of drug-loaded microcapsules (e.g., liposomes, polymersomes) for controlled drug release.
Environmental Monitoring
- Pathogen Detection: Digital PCR in droplets enhances sensitivity for trace-level water contaminants.
- Biosensors: Droplet-embedded enzymes or probes enable real-time pollutant quantification.
Chemistry
- High-throughput reaction screening: Optimizes catalysts and synthetic pathways in droplet microreactors.
- Green chemistry: Reduces solvent waste via microscale reactions.
Food
- Pathogen Detection: Digital PCR in droplets detects trace foodborne pathogens (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria) with ultra-high sensitivity.
- Food Safety: Droplet-based biosensors rapidly identify toxins (e.g., aflatoxins) or allergens (e.g., gluten, peanuts).
- Encapsulation assays: Quantify vitamins, antioxidants, or flavor compounds in microdroplets.

Droplet technology's versatility and precision continue to drive innovations in research, pharmacy, and industrial biotechnology, making it a cornerstone of modern microscale science.

Related Products

On-Chip Droplet Generator

The On-chip Droplet Generator employs a unique microfluidic design to mass-produce water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion droplets and gel microdrops (GMDs) with precise micrometer dimensions. These droplets provide compartmentalized environments for reactions like microbial/cell cultivation and genetic analysis.

1-29-droplet-technology-3

1-29-droplet-technology-4

On-chip Droplet Selector

On-chip® Droplet Selector merges droplet sorting capabilities with microfluidic chip technology, allowing single droplets to be accurately dispensed into 96- or 384-well plates. The system maintains over 90% accuracy while preventing droplet breakage.

1-29-droplet-technology-5

On-chip Sort

1-29-droplet-technology-6

STEMart provides you with a variety of droplet technology-related instruments to meet your various R&D and application needs. If you have any questions or requirements, please feel free to contact us.

Reference

Trinh, T. N. D., et al. (2023). "Droplet-based microfluidics: applications in pharmaceuticals." Pharmaceuticals. 16(7), 937. Distributed under an open access Creative Common CC BY 4.0 license.

Online Inquiry

Holiday savings valid through 1/31/2026:

10% OFF All Testing Services
Enjoy an exclusive 10% discount on all our testing services — helping you achieve accurate results while saving costs.
(Use code: HOLIDAY10TS)

Big Savings on Product Orders
Place your orders now and unlock incredible discounts:

$50 OFF orders over $500 (Use code: HOLIDAY50)
$100 OFF orders over $1,000 (Use code: HOLIDAY100)
$500 OFF orders over $5,000 (Use code: HOLIDAY500)
$1,200 OFF orders over $10,000 (Use code: HOLIDAY1200)

All discounts applied at checkout (shipping fees not included in order total).

* The discount amount applies to a single purchase order.