Discrete elements for 3D microfluidics
Discrete elements for 3D microfluidics
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DOI：
10.1073/pnas.1414764111
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发表时间：
2014-10-21
影响因子：
11.1
通讯作者：
Malmstadt, Noah
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Bhargava, Krisna C.;Thompson, Bryant;Malmstadt, Noah
微流控系统正迅速成为高精度材料合成、生化样品制备和生物物理分析的常用工具。通常，微流体系统通过微加工以及越来越多的增材技术以整体形式构建。这些方法通过不必要地强调平面环境中操作元件的完整功能集成来限制真正复杂系统的设计和组装。在这里，我们提出了一种基于离散元件的解决方案，使设计人员能够通过简单的网络分析技术构建模块化、多样化且可预测的三维大型微流体系统。我们开发了一个使用立体光刻技术制造的标准化组件和连接器的样本库。我们预测并验证这些单独组件的流动特性，以设计和构建具有可扩展数量的并行输出的可调浓度梯度发生器。我们表明，通过构建三种不同的装置，通过简单更换乳化器子电路，以两种不同的尺寸范围和高通量模式生成单分散微滴，这些系统可以快速重新配置。最后，我们通过构建光学传感元件来检测碳氟化合物流中的水滴并量化其尺寸和频率，展示了主动过程监控的能力。通过从大规模集成转向标准化分立元件，我们展示了将复杂 3D 微流体电路的设计和组装实践减少到与电子行业中的方法相当的潜力。
Microfluidic systems are rapidly becoming commonplace tools for high-precision materials synthesis, biochemical sample preparation, and biophysical analysis. Typically, microfluidic systems are constructed in monolithic form by means of microfabrication and, increasingly, by additive techniques. These methods restrict the design and assembly of truly complex systems by placing unnecessary emphasis on complete functional integration of operational elements in a planar environment. Here, we present a solution based on discrete elements that liberates designers to build large-scale microfluidic systems in three dimensions that are modular, diverse, and predictable by simple network analysis techniques. We develop a sample library of standardized components and connectors manufactured using stereolithography. We predict and validate the flow characteristics of these individual components to design and construct a tunable concentration gradient generator with a scalable number of parallel outputs. We show that these systems are rapidly reconfigurable by constructing three variations of a device for generating monodisperse microdroplets in two distinct size regimes and in a high-throughput mode by simple replacement of emulsifier subcircuits. Finally, we demonstrate the capability for active process monitoring by constructing an optical sensing element for detecting water droplets in a fluorocarbon stream and quantifying their size and frequency. By moving away from large-scale integration toward standardized discrete elements, we demonstrate the potential to reduce the practice of designing and assembling complex 3D microfluidic circuits to a methodology comparable to that found in the electronics industry.