Fabrication of Microglass Nozzle for Microdroplet Jetting

Abstract

An ejection aperture nozzle is the essential part for all microdrop generation techniques. The diameter size, the flow channel geometry, and fluid impedance are the key factors affecting the ejection capacity. A novel low-cost fabrication method of microglass nozzle involving four steps is developed in this work. In the first heating step, the glass pipette is melted and pulled. Then, the second heating step is to determine the tip cone angle and modify the flow channel geometry. The desired included angle is usually of 30~45 degrees. Fine grind can determine the exact diameter of the hole. Postheating step is the final process and it can reduce the sharpness of the edges of the hole. Micronozzles with hole diameters varying from 30 to 100 µm are fabricated by the homemade inexpensive and easy-to-operate setup. Hydrophobic treating method of microglass nozzle to ensure stable and accurate injection is also introduced in this work. According to the jetting results of aqueous solution, UV curing adhesive, and solder, the fabricated microglass nozzle can satisfy the need of microdroplet jetting of multimaterials.