Lab on a rod: Size-based particle separation and sorting in a helical channel

Abstract

Size-based particle separation using inertial microfluidics in spiral channels has been well studied over the past decade. Though these devices can effectively separate particles, they require a relatively large device footprint with a typical outer channel radius of approximately 15 mm. In this paper, we describe a microfluidic device with a footprint diameter of 5.5 mm, containing a helical channel capable of inertial particle separation fabricated using abrasive jet micromachining. The separation of particles in several channel geometries was studied using wide-field fluorescence microscopy. A maximum separation efficiency of approximately 90% was achieved at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min with a purity of approximately 95% at the outlet, where large particles were collected. An accompanying computational fluid dynamics model was developed to allow researchers to quickly assess the separation capability of their helical or spiral devices.

Twisted fiber microfluidics: a cutting-edge approach to 3D spiral devices

“…It is important to acknowledge that employing multi-step assembly processes presents challenges in scalability and material selection. Recent advancements in micromachining techniques, including femtosecond laser machining 23 and abrasive jet machining 24 , have also been investigated for fabricating 3D spiral microfluidics. However, these techniques frequently involve complex, expensive, and time-consuming processes, rendering them unsuitable for the rapid prototyping of 3D spiral microfluidics.…”