Patent ID: 7975531

Claim:
A microfluidic system for interfacial tension measurement, the system comprising: a first inlet channel for a first fluid; a second inlet channel for a second fluid; a measurement channel intersecting with both the first inlet channel and the second inlet channel whereby an intersection of the first inlet channel, the second inlet channel and the measurement channel form a T-junction; an optical signal source system for transmitting a signal from a signal emitter; an optical signal detection system for receiving the signal from the signal source system; and a processing system configured to determine interfacial tension of at least one droplet or bubble in the measurement channel based, at least in part, on output from the optical signal detection system; wherein the optical signal source system and the optical signal detection system are axially aligned on opposite sides of the measurement channel such that the signal from the optical signal source system transmitted to the measurement channel crosses the measurement channel substantially perpendicular to a fluid flow direction of a fluid flowing in the measurement channel during use.