Issue 7, 2005

Continuous particle separation in a microchannel having asymmetrically arranged multiple branches

Abstract

A new method for continuous size separation and collection of particles in microfabricated devices, asymmetric pinched flow fractionation (AsPFF), has been proposed and demonstrated. This method improves the separation scheme of pinched flow fractionation (PFF), which utilizes a laminar flow profile inside a microchannel. In this study, multiple branch channels with different channel dimensions were arranged at the end of the pinched segment, so that the flow rate distributions to each branch channel were varied, and a large part of the liquid was forced to go through one branch channel (drain channel). In the proposed channel system, the flow profile inside the microchannel was asymmetrically amplified, enabling the separation of one-order smaller particles compared with PFF. After introducing the method, we examined the effect of the asymmetric amplification by controlling the outlet of the drain channel. Also, a mixture of 1.0 ∼5.0 µm particles was separated, and erythrocytes were successfully separated from blood. The results indicate that the AsPFF method could be applied to the separation of much smaller-size particles, since more precise separation can be achieved simply by changing the geometries of branch channels.

Graphical abstract: Continuous particle separation in a microchannel having asymmetrically arranged multiple branches

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Feb 2005
Accepted
27 Apr 2005
First published
19 May 2005

Lab Chip, 2005,5, 778-784

Continuous particle separation in a microchannel having asymmetrically arranged multiple branches

J. Takagi, M. Yamada, M. Yasuda and M. Seki, Lab Chip, 2005, 5, 778 DOI: 10.1039/B501885D

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements