Practical Assessment of Payload- Header Switching in Microfluidic Networks

To this date, microfluidic networks have been dominantly evaluated theoretically, with very few existing experimental proofs to validate the proposed concepts. In this work, we focus on practical assessment of the crucial part of such networks- microfluidic switching. This way, we aim at closing the existing gap between theory and practice. In particular, we practically realize and investigate payload-header switching in microfluidic networks. First, we introduce different switching mechanisms. Then, the most promising approach, mainly distance-based switching is practically evaluated. Finally, the switching method is discussed and assessed. Channel noise effects, such as interdroplet distance reduction are also discussed and experimentally evaluated.