Abstract: A liquid saving device includes a liquid guide and a vortex adaptor. The liquid guide includes a primary recess, an indentation, and a plurality of primary pores. The vortex adaptor includes at least one air inlet structure, a trench, a gap and a center through hole. The plurality of primary pores is coupled to the indentation for receiving a first liquid stream to generate a same plurality of second liquid streams at respective ends. At least part of the plurality of primary pores have different lengths. A primary pore has a shorter length if the first primary pore outputs its corresponding second liquid stream with a larger deflection, and vice versa. The trench receives both at least one secondary liquid stream and air to generate a first aerated vortex. An elevated flow of the first aerated vortex with a spray-form liquid stream to generate a second aerated vortex.

Abstract: A liquid saving device includes a liquid guide and a vortex adaptor. The liquid guide includes a primary recess, an indentation, and a plurality of primary pores. The vortex adaptor includes at least one air inlet structure, a trench, a gap and a center through hole. The plurality of primary pores is coupled to the indentation for receiving a first liquid stream to generate a same plurality of second liquid streams at respective ends. At least part of the plurality of primary pores have different lengths. A primary pore has a shorter length if the first primary pore outputs its corresponding second liquid stream with a larger deflection, and vice versa. The trench receives both at least one secondary liquid stream and air to generate a first aerated vortex. An elevated flow of the first aerated vortex with a spray-form liquid stream to generate a second aerated vortex.

Abstract: Methods of and devices for manufacturing a multi-layered microfluidic filter are disclosed. In one embodiment, method of manufacturing a multi-layered filter comprises providing a first molding plate that includes a plurality of apertures and is coupled to a flow stream source, applying from the flow stream source a first flow stream to pass through the plurality of apertures of the first molding plate, forming a first membrane layer comprising a first set of pores using the first molding plate and the first flow stream, controlling the first flow stream to generate a second flow stream from the first set of pores of the first membrane layer, and forming a second membrane layer comprising a second set of pores using the second flow stream and the first membrane layer.

Abstract: Methods of and devices for manufacturing a multi-layered microfluidic filter are disclosed. In one embodiment, method of manufacturing a multi-layered filter comprises providing a first molding plate that includes a plurality of apertures and is coupled to a flow stream source, applying from the flow stream source a first flow stream to pass through the plurality of apertures of the first molding plate, forming a first membrane layer comprising a first set of pores using the first molding plate and the first flow stream, controlling the first flow stream to generate a second flow stream from the first set of pores of the first membrane layer, and forming a second membrane layer comprising a second set of pores using the second flow stream and the first membrane layer.

Abstract: Methods of and devices for making pores, nozzles, and slits are described. In some embodiments, the methods create pattern in the molded substrate by controlling the location and direction of a controlled flow stream through molding plates. The molding plate contains a predefined pattern that is able to be used to create the desired pattern in the molding plate.

Abstract: Systems and methods that control the size and composition of emulsified droplets, multi-lamellar and asymmetric vesicles, encapsulation of reagents, membrane proteins, and sorting of vesicles/droplets. More particularly, microfluidic devices for controlled viscous shearing of oil-water emulsions of micro- and nano-scale droplets, the subsequent formation of amphiphilic vesicles such as liposomes, polymer vesicles, micelles, and the like, the post-assembly and post-processing of the droplets including splitting, fusing, sorting and the like, polymer emulsions, and the integration of amphiphilic vesicle production-line on a single microfluidic chip. Preferably, the microfluidic device enables oil-water co-flows with tunable viscous shear forces higher than the immiscible interfacial tension forces that generate favorable conditions for droplet formation.

Abstract: Nano-sized lipid vesicles with tailored properties are used as building blocks to generate lipid tubules between two glass surfaces. The tubules formed not only have defined orientation, width, and length, but they can also grow to be as long as 13 mm under ambient conditions, without externally supplied flow, temperature control, or catalyzing agents. The tubule membrane and its internal aqueous content can be manipulated by controlling the combination of different vesicle's lipid composition and aqueous entrapment. This self-assembly process opens up new pathways for generating complicated and flexible architectures for use in biocompatible molecular and supramolecular engineering. Aspects of the invention generate, for example, tubules encapsulated with siRNA, tubules with multiple branches, and polymerized fluorescent tubules in a single-throughput self-assembly process.

Abstract: Systems and methods that control the size and composition of emulsified droplets, multi-lamellar and asymmetric vesicles, encapsulation of reagents, membrane proteins, and sorting of vesicles/droplets. More particularly, microfluidic devices for controlled viscous shearing of oil-water emulsions of micro- and nano-scale droplets, the subsequent formation of amphiphilic vesicles such as liposomes, polymer vesicles, micelles, and the like, the post-assembly and post-processing of the droplets including splitting, fusing, sorting and the like, polymer emulsions, and the integration of amphiphilic vesicle production-line on a single microfluidic chip. Preferably, the microfluidic device enables oil-water co-flows with tunable viscous shear forces higher than the immiscible interfacial tension forces that generate favorable conditions for droplet formation.