The Procter Gamble Company

Harvard College

Thomas Edward Kodger

Mark Robert Sivik

David A Weitz

Yonas Gizaw

Matthew Lawrence Lynch

Ilke Akartuna

Lois Jean Boekley

Donald Aubrecht

The present invention generally relates to microfluidics, and, in particular, to systems and methods for coalescing or fusing droplets. In certain aspects, two or more droplets within a microfluidic channel are brought together and caused to coalesce without using electric fields or charges. For example, in certain embodiments, droplets stabilized with a surfactant may be disrupted, e.g., by exposing the droplets to a solvent able to alter the surfactant, which may partially destabilize the droplets and allow them to coalesce. In some instances, the droplets may also be physically disrupted to facilitate coalesce. In addition, in some cases, the positions of one or more droplets may be controlled within a channel using a groove in a wall of the channel. For example, a droplet may at least partially enter the groove such that the position of the droplet is at least partially controlled by the groove.

Coalescence of droplets

A fabric enhancer composition comprising a di-hydrocarbyl complex formed from a mono-hydrocarbyl quaternary ammonium component comprising the structure: wherein R1 comprises a C6-C18 hydrocarbyl chain, wherein R2, R3 and R4 are individually selected from the group consisting of C1-C4 hydrocarbyl, C1-C4 hydroxy hydrocarbyl, &#x2014;(CHCHO)xH where x has a value from about 1 to about 2, and mixtures thereof, L is a linking group selected from the group consisting of C(O)O&#x2014;, &#x2014;(CHCHO)&#x2014;, &#x2014;C(O)&#x2014;, [CHCH(CH)O] and n has value of 1 to 2 with z having a value of 0 or 1, and an anionic surfactant, wherein the fabric enhancer composition provides sufficient softness and anti-static benefits.

Liquid fabric enhancer composition comprising a di-hydrocarbyl complex

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Thomas Edward Kodger