Alternating Force Based Drop-on-Demand Microdroplet Formation and Three-Dimensional Deposition

Zhao, Long; Yan, Karen Chang; Yao, Rui; Feng, Lin; Sun, Wei

doi:10.1115/1.4029803

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 47 publications

(29 reference statements)

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“…Notice that the droplet size distribution is back-calculated from the dried particle size distribution measured by the aerosol size spectrometer. Consistent with previous studies (Balabel and Wilson, 2013;Zhao et al, 2015), the CMD of generated droplets increases linearly with increasing aperture size. For drug delivery purposes, it would be ideal to generate all sub-micrometersized droplets to have higher aerosol penetration into the deep lung.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Characterization of Vibrating Mesh Aerosol Generators

Kuo

Chan

Lin

et al. 2019

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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The fate of inhaled aerosol particles within the respiratory tract is determined by factors such as the particle size distribution, breathing pattern, and airway geometry. Thus, matching the aerosol therapy device to the patient is crucial to achieving a high target site dose and minimizing side effects. High output efficiency and minimal residual volume have been reported for vibrating mesh nebulizers, which generate a high percentage of particles in the respirable fraction. Using custom-made plates, this work aimed to investigate and identify the major operating parameters of these devices and their effects on the characteristics of the aerosol output.Each plate contained between 279 and 4606 tapered apertures that ranged from 3 to 12 µm in diameter and were uniformly sized per plate. To investigate the effect of coagulation during droplet generation, the distance between the apertures was varied from 75 to 450 µm. The resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element was scanned, and the aperture plates were then vibrated at a fixed frequency (100-300 kHz), causing the ejection of liquid droplets. The nebulizers were mainly evaluated using a 0.9% sodium chloride solution. A syringe pump injected the solution into the vibrating mesh plates. The aerosol output was carried, dried, and introduced into the mixing chamber by a dilution air flow of 160 L min -1 . An aerosol size spectrometer was employed to measure both the number concentration and the size distribution of the output.The droplet size increased with the aperture diameter. The distance between apertures did not affect the number concentration or the size distribution of the generated droplets. The droplet size decreased as the resonance frequency increased, but the extent was less than we expected. Each mesh possessed an optimal vibration frequency, which varied according to the size and the number of the apertures, for consistently maximizing the aerosol output. The optimal feeding rate increased with the number of apertures and the applied electric current, but the aerosol size distribution remained the same. Additionally, our results using a cotton wick to deliver the solution from the reservoir to the vibrating mesh indicate that fibrous sorbent materials can potentially replace the syringe pump.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Characterization of Vibrating Mesh Aerosol Generators

Kuo

Chan

Lin

et al. 2019

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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“…Apart from pneumatic-driven systems, the alternating viscous and inertial forcing jetting (AVIFJ) mechanism was successfully applied in the jetting system [159]. The AVIFJ-based microdroplet deposition system contains modules of data processing, microdroplet dispensing, materials delivery, 3D motion, and observation.…”

Section: Jetting Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modular and Integrated Systems for Nanoparticle and Microparticle Synthesis—A Review

Tang

Yun

et al. 2020

Biosensors

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Nanoparticles (NPs) and microparticles (MPs) have been widely used in different areas of research such as materials science, energy, and biotechnology. On-demand synthesis of NPs and MPs with desired chemical and physical properties is essential for different applications. However, most of the conventional methods for producing NPs/MPs require bulky and expensive equipment, which occupies large space and generally need complex operation with dedicated expertise and labour. These limitations hinder inexperienced researchers to harness the advantages of NPs and MPs in their fields of research. When problems individual researchers accumulate, the overall interdisciplinary innovations for unleashing a wider range of directions are undermined. In recent years, modular and integrated systems are developed for resolving the ongoing dilemma. In this review, we focus on the development of modular and integrated systems that assist the production of NPs and MPs. We categorise these systems into two major groups: systems for the synthesis of (1) NPs and (2) MPs; systems for producing NPs are further divided into two sections based on top-down and bottom-up approaches. The mechanisms of each synthesis method are explained, and the properties of produced NPs/MPs are compared. Finally, we discuss existing challenges and outline the potentials for the development of modular and integrated systems.

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