A microfluidic droplet-storage array that is capable of the continuous operation of droplet formation, storing, repositioning, retrieving, injecting and restoring is demonstrated. The microfluidic chip comprised four valve-assisted droplet generators and a 3 × 16 droplet-storage array. The integrated pneumatically actuated microvalves enable the precise control of aqueous phase dispensing, as well as carrier fluid flow path and direction for flexible manipulating water-in-oil droplets in the chip. The size of droplets formed by the valve-assisted droplet generators was validated under various operating conditions such as pressures for introducing solutions and dispensing time. In addition, flexible droplet addressing in the storage array was demonstrated by storing droplets with various numbers and compositions in different storage units as well as rearranging their stored positions. Moreover, serial injections of new droplets into a retrieved droplet from a storage unit was performed to show the potential of the platform in sequential dosing on incubated droplet-based reactors at the desired timeline. The droplet-storage array with great freedom and flexibility in droplet handling could be applied for performing complex chemical and biologic reactions, especially in which incubation and dosing steps are necessary.

中文翻译：

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微流液滴存储阵列。

展示了一种微流体液滴存储阵列，该阵列能够连续操作液滴的形成，存储，重新定位，检索，注入和还原。微流控芯片包括四个阀辅助液滴发生器和一个3×16液滴存储阵列。集成的气动微阀可以精确控制水相分配，以及载体流体的流动路径和方向，从而可以灵活地控制芯片中的油包水液滴。在各种操作条件下（例如引入溶液的压力和分配时间）验证了阀辅助液滴发生器形成的液滴的大小。此外，通过在不同的存储单元中存储具有不同数量和组成的液滴以及重新排列其存储位置，展示了在存储阵列中实现灵活的液滴寻址。此外，将新的液滴连续注入到从存储单元中回收的液滴中，以显示平台在所需时间线上在已孵育的基于液滴的反应器上进行顺序加料的潜力。液滴存储阵列在液滴处理中具有很大的自由度和灵活性，可用于执行复杂的化学和生物反应，特别是在需要保温和定量步骤的情况下。进行新液滴从存储单元到回收液滴的系列注射，以显示平台在所需时间线上在孵育的基于液滴的反应器上进行连续加料的潜力。液滴存储阵列在液滴处理中具有很大的自由度和灵活性，可用于执行复杂的化学和生物反应，尤其是在需要保温和加药步骤的情况下。从存储单元将新的液滴连续注入到回收的液滴中，以显示平台在所需时间线上在孵育的基于液滴的反应器上进行连续加料的潜力。在液滴处理中具有极大自由度和灵活性的液滴存储阵列可用于执行复杂的化学和生物反应，尤其是在需要保温和定量步骤的情况下。