Versatile droplet production: A cost-effective, modular approach via integration of commercial micro-tubing and 3D-printed microchannels

Abstract

3D printing has emerged as a transformative fabrication methodology for microfluidic chip development, yet the limited manufacturing precision of low-cost desktop 3D-printed systems continues to constrain their widespread implementation and industrial scalability. To overcome these critical limitations, we present an innovative modular microfluidic platform that achieves economical production of monodisperse single emulsion droplets with 50 μm diameters. Our breakthrough design synergistically combines commercially available microtubing with optimized 3D-printed microarchitectures, enabling both precise component alignment and simplified assembly processes. The strategic implementation of commercial microtubing as core droplet generation and collection elements circumvents conventional channel dimension restrictions inherent to desktop 3D-printing, thereby facilitating generation of substantially smaller droplets through modular chip configurations. This adaptable architecture permits dual modulation of emulsion characteristics through both replaceable tubing components and tunable printed structural parameters, effectively expanding the operational range of producible droplet sizes while redefining modular microfluidic design paradigms. Notably, the system demonstrates exceptional scalability through seamless transition to double emulsion production with precisely controllable encapsulated droplet quantities. Constructed from universally accessible components with standardized interfaces, our platform offers significant advantages in cost efficiency maintenance simplicity, and operational reliability. The intuitive modular configuration empowers researchers across disciplines to conduct advanced droplet microfluidics experiments without specialized training. This technological advancement establishes a new benchmark for affordable, user-adaptive microfluidic systems with broad droplet-related applications spanning pharmaceutical development, biomedical diagnostics, and materials engineering.