Pendant Droplets - Microfluidic Approach

This chapter contains basic data about the microfluidic description of pendant droplets. Results are shown regarding the surface/interfacial tension measurements performed on water based solutions following the interaction with laser radiation. A synthesis is introduced of the main methods used to produce simple or complex droplets in different media. A method to evidence surface active products obtained after exposure of medicine solutions to laser radiation is presented. It consists in measuring in real time the dynamic interfacial tension at the interface between air and irradiated solution, when solution is in bulk form. The variation of dynamic interfacial tension is an indicator of the presence of laser produced amphiphilic molecules in solution. These results belong to series of reports dedicated to new methods used to fight multiple drug resistance developed by bacteria by decreasing the concentration of active compounds with bactericide effects. In line with microfluidic approach of droplets with μl volumes, surface tension measurements on DMSO-water mixtures containing a dye are presented.

Keywords: Aerosols, Bubbles, Capillarity, Colloidal systems, Contact angle, Dynamic surface tension, Hanging droplet, Hydrophilicity, Hydrophobicity, Immiscible fluids, Pendant droplet, Sessile droplet, Suspended droplet, Vancomycin.