Microbubble formations in MEMS-fabricated rectangular channels: A high-speed observation

A microfluidic device that consists of MEMS-fabricated rectangular channels is developed for stable and sequential production of monodispersed microbubbles. The central inlet for gas phase is located between two inlets for liquid phases, where the device works as a two-fluid atomizer. The interfacial flow mechanism of microbubble formation at the junction of the inlets in the device is investigated using a high-speed visualization technique and digital image processing. The periodic formation process is successfully realized by the consideration of the wettability between the microbubble and the channel wall. The produced microbubbles are relatively uniform in size, and the size is controlled from 113 to 153 μm by changing the flow rates of the liquid and gas phases. Furthermore, a simple theoretical model to predict the equivalent diameter of microbubbles is developed by considering the mass balance of the gas phase in the formation process, where the experimental and theoretical results are in reasonable agreement.