Droplet deformation and manipulation in an electrified microfluidic channel

This letter studies electrically induced droplet deformation to predictably pin and route droplets in a T-junction microchannel. Droplets of various sizes are shown to deform differently and respond to steep electric potential gradients. The relative magnitudes of inertial and electric forces are responsible for droplet deceleration and pinning, and may be manipulated to route a droplet in either direction of a T-junction.