Microfluidic particle size sorting
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Passive, inertia-based sorting of the particles by size
Low reagent consumption, improved safety, easier to use
Microfluidic particle sorting
Particles can be sorted depending on their size by using the microfluidic particle size sorting pack. This pack is based on the high-accuracy OB1 flow controller (Elveflow) and a spiral sorter chip or a pillar sorter chip; this all-in-one solution contains all the required microfluidic instruments to set up a particle sorting system with a high flow rate and good performance.
The particle separation technique is label-free, membrane-free, and is based on well-understood dean and inertial forces. This pack can also be used to separate sperm cells from red blood cells or to filter samples.
Microfluidic particle sorting pack setup
A microfluidic particle sorting pack contains the OB1 microfluidic flow controller (Elveflow) to push the sample containing the particles inside the microfluidic chip that uses inertial forces to separate them by size. The sorting efficiency will be directly linked to the fluid’s properties and the flow rate inside the channel.
This pack combines compatible instruments and allows you to start the experiment quickly. A single software pilots everything, which can be adapted and applied to other ends. This is why we develop packs for researchers and industries that are beginners or experts in microfluidics. The following figure summarizes the montage that can be set up with the pack.
The pack typically contains:
- OB1 flow controller
- Microfluidic flow sensor (eg. Galileo)
- 15 mL Falcons
- A commercial spiral or pillars microfluidic chip with several outlets
- All necessary accessories: connectors, filters, tubing, etc…
- Software (Galileo user interface)
Microfluidic particle size sorting principle
Inertial microfluidics can be used for many different processes like live-dead cell separation, blood cell sorting, or filtering specific particles [1].
The microfluidic particle size sorting Pack uses a label-free inertial separation and sorting technique using Dean forces that create vortices inside the microchannel [2]. These vortices appear in the spiral-shaped channel because of the difference in flow speed between the fluid near the inner wall of the channel and the fluid’s flow speed near the microfluidic channel’s outer wall [3].
Therefore, the hydrodynamic forces create a separation between the smaller particles dragged toward the spiral’s center and the larger particles dragged toward the microchannel’s outer wall [4].
The effectiveness of the sorting depends on the Dean Number. This number increases when the Reynolds number increases, and the radius of curvature decreases [3].
Particles can also be passively sorted using pillars that induce deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) [4-5].
References
- Herrmann N, Neubauer P, Birkholz M. Spiral microfluidic devices for cell separation and sorting in bioprocesses. Biomicrofluidics. 2019;13(6):061501
- Pu Chen, Xiaojun Feng, Wei Du, Bi-Feng Liu, Microfluidic chips for cell sorting, Frontiers in Bioscience 13, 2464-2483, January 1, 2008
- Nivedita, N., Ligrani, P. & Papautsky, I. Dean Flow Dynamics in Low-Aspect Ratio Spiral Microchannels. Sci Rep 7, 44072 (2017).
- Beech, Jason P. “Separation and analysis of biological particles”
- Bayareh, Morteza. “An updated review on particle separation in passive microfluidic devices.” Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification 153 (2020): 107984.
Why use microfluidics for particle size sorting?
Particle sorting on microchips is more straightforward than conventional methods. It is label-free, relies only on mechanical forces, and eliminates potential biohazardous aerosols.
Particle sorting using a spiral microchannel relies on the more vital Dean forces when the Reynolds number is low. The Reynolds number in a microfluidic channel is usually deficient; therefore, this particle sorting technique is almost only usable in microfluidics experiment conditions.
Another microfluidic sorting technique is the deterministic displacement technique, a size-based particle sorting technique consisting of an ordered array of obstacles that forces the direction of the particle flowing through the pillars in a specific direction depending on its size.
Tuning the fluid velocity can optimize particle sorting. Various entities can be separated using up to several different outlets on the microfluidic chip.
Microfluidic sorting techniques allow more flexible, precise, and efficient particle sorting.
References
1. Inglis, David W., et al. “Critical particle size for fractionation by deterministic lateral displacement.” Lab on a Chip 6.5 (2006): 655-658.
Customize your microfluidic particle size sorting
Our microfluidic experts will help you throughout the whole setup process of your experiment, making this pack usable by microfluidic technology beginner users.
It is possible to find commercially available spiral and pillar chips for particle sorting with different materials, spiral, and channel sizes. You can also fabricate your design with various fabrication methods.
The efficiency of the sorting depends on the Reynolds and the Dean numbers.
Contact our experts to answer any questions about the particle sorting pack and how it can match your specifications.
– Check our other Packs for various applications –
How can we help your experiment?
The Packs applications are still under development, so we are not able to give you the tips or troubleshooting advice that we usually give in our user guides and application notes for the possible challenges you could face for a specific application experiment. That being said, we can always guarantee reliable and high precision microfluidic flow control. Our microfluidic instruments are high performance, versatile and user-friendly. Our experts will bring support and expertise during the setup and the implementation of the pack.
Can the pack be customized based on my specific application?
Yes! Our experts will establish which instruments are best suited for your application, such as the type of flow sensor or the number of flow controller channels you need to perform your experiment. Contact us using the “talk to our experts” green button above.
Can I buy individual instruments?
You can order our instruments on the product section of our website.
