Modeling and validation of parallel co-flows layer widths of viscous liquids in open-capillary trigger valve systems

Parallel co-flows in open-capillary trigger valve systems form layered streams with widths as low as 50 microns, predicted from side-channel geometry.

• Why it matters: Microfluidic trigger valves need reliable, geometry-based control in open devices, where sequential releases create coupled co-flows that are harder to model.
• What they did: The work models co-flow layer widths from geometric characteristics of side channels across sequential trigger-valve releases, then validates predictions of travel distance, velocity, and layering width against experiments.
• The result: The validated framework supports open microfluidic designs with varied step heights, up to seven trigger valves, and varied fluids/plastics, including fibroblasts in collagen, enabling applications like hydrogel patterning and biosensing.

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