Microfluidics
Microfluidic devices are a groundbreaking technology that manipulates small volumes of fluids—often on the scale of microliters or nanoliters—within networks of tiny channels etched or molded into various substrates. These devices leverage the principles of fluid dynamics and miniaturization to achieve high precision and efficiency in controlling chemical and biological processes.
The design of microfluidic devices involves intricate channel patterns, which are usually fabricated using materials like polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), glass, or silicon. Photolithography and soft lithography are common techniques used to create these microchannels. The small scale of the channels enables rapid mixing, thermal control, and separation processes that are difficult to achieve with traditional methods.
PDMS Bonding
Learn more about PDMS Bonding
Fields of Research for Microfluidic devices:
- Biomedical Research: Lab-on-a-chip devices for point-of-care diagnostics, Organ-on-a-chip, DNA analysis, and drug development. The small sample sizes and precise control over conditions make microfluidic devices ideal for these applications.
- Chemical Synthesis: Microreactors within microfluidic systems allow for the controlled and efficient synthesis of complex chemical compounds with high yields and minimal waste.
- Environmental Monitoring: These devices are employed to detect pollutants and toxins in water and air samples, offering real-time analysis and data collection.
- Food Science: Microfluidic devices are used for quality control and to ensure the safety of food products by detecting contaminants at trace levels.
Advantages of Microfluidic Technology
- High Throughput: Their ability to process multiple samples simultaneously at a reduced reagent cost makes them highly efficient.
- Precision and Control: Microfluidics offers precise control over fluid flow and reaction conditions, leading to consistent and reproducible results.
- Portability: Many microfluidic devices are compact and portable, making them suitable for field applications and point-of-care testing.
Learn more about how plasma treatment is used for your specfic application in the following application notes:
Bacteria Sensors
Bacteria sensors play a crucial role in reducing food spoilage, minimizing economic losses and illness from foodborne diseases. These sensors can detect spoilage earlier, eliminating its potential to spread throughout the supply chain, from...
3D Printing
3D printing is ubiquitous in modern professional and academic laboratories, where researchers continue to find innovative applications. Its essential function is to rapidly provide complex 3D structures with high precision. The technology is now...
Single Cell Sequencing
Single cell RNA sequencing (ScRNA-seq) is a powerful tool developed to identify gene expression of individual cells in complex biological tissues. Conventional assays assume homogeneity, averaging gene characteristics across all cells within a...
Acoustofluidics
Surface acoustic waves (SAW) offer high precision, contactless control of small volumes of liquid in microfluidic devices. Through the implementation of SAW in microfluidic devices (Acoustofluidics), researchers can achieve label free sorting of...
Organ on a Chip
Organ on a chip models, fabricated with plasma treatment, replicate key tissue structure, function and other physiological characteristics to better explore drug delivery, toxicology and disease progression in vitro. In medical research, in vivo...
APTES
(3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), an aminosilane originally developed as an adsorbent for affinity chromatography, has developed into a versatile tool for improving surface chemistry in cell studies and microfluidic device fabrication....
Microfluidic Cell Culture
Microfluidic devices are rapidly becoming a more advantageous cell culture platform than macroscopic culture vessels (dishes, flasks and well-plates) for numerous applications. Two dimensional cell culture benefits from a vast pool of established...
