Red Blood Cells Mimics Production in a Flow Focus Device with Rectangular Cross Section

Abstract

– The conditions to produce hydrogel Red Blood Cells (RBC) mimics were studied by experimental methods. Hydrogel microparticles were produced in a microfluidic device. Several operating conditions (the continuous and dispersed phase flow rates) were studied and optimize to produce particles with sizes and mechanical properties similar to the ones of RBCs. Particles with approximately 50  m can be produced with this technique in a channel if 100 x 50  m 2 . To produce microparticles with a size similar to RBCs, a channel with lower dimensions