Microfluidic device for the assembly and transport of microparticles

DWPI Title: Microfluidic device for assembling and transporting microparticles has electrodes which are applied with alternating current (AC) voltage in sequenced manner to move high-gradient electric field within channel in substrate
Abstract: A microfluidic device comprising independently addressable arrays of interdigitated electrodes can be used to assembly and transport large-scale microparticle structures. The device and method uses collective phenomena in a negatively polarized suspension exposed to a high-gradient strong ac electric field to assemble the particles into predetermined locations and then transport them collectively to a work area for final assembly by sequentially energizing the electrode arrays.
Use: Microfluidic device for assembling and transporting microparticles.
Advantage: Collectively assembles and transports microparticles to enable formation of large-scale structures.
Novelty: A fluid comprising a negatively polarizable suspension of microparticles in a liquid flows through a channel formed on a substrate. AC voltages (V1t-V3t) of different magnitudes are applied to at least two arrays (21-24) of independently addressable electrodes (1-4), which are successively disposed in the channel, to generate a high-gradient electric field causing the microparticles to concentrate in regions of low field strength in the channel. The application of the AC voltage is sequenced to move the high-gradient electric field within the channel.
Filed: 2/11/2008
Application Number: US200828907A
Tech ID: SD 10655.1
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
Data from Derwent World Patents Index, provided by Clarivate
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