Review of the role of surfactant dynamics in drop microfluidics

Surfactants are employed in microfluidic systems not just for drop stabilisation, but also to study local phenomena in industrial processes. On the scale of a single drop, these include foaming, emulsification and stability of foams and emulsions using statistically significant ensembles of bubbles or drops respectively. In addition, surfactants are often a part of a formulation in microfluidic drop reactors. In all these applications, surfactant dynamics play a crucial role and need to be accounted for. In this review, the effect of surfactant dynamics is considered on the level of standard microfluidic operations: drop formation, movement in channels and coalescence, but also on a more general level, considering the mechanisms controlling surfactant adsorption on time- and length-scales characteristic of microfluidics. Some examples of relevant calculations are provided. The advantages and challenges of the use of microfluidics to measure dynamic interfacial tension at short time-scales are discussed.