SBIR Phase I: Micro- and Macrofluidic Continuous-Flow Zone Refining

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将评估微流体区熔的可行性，以及微观和宏观尺度连续流动区熔的衍生概念。区域精炼是一种已建立的材料纯化技术，用于某些特殊应用，特别是半导体制造，但更广泛的使用受到成本和复杂性的限制。在微流体系统中，湍流和对流混合的缺乏，结合快速和精确的温度变化的潜力，提供了一个有趣的新机会，以扩大区域熔化技术的实用性。特别地，区域精炼可以潜在地提供用于样品浓缩和纯化的新工具，而区域调平可以提供用于流体混合的新工具。初步工作表明，这些技术可以扩展到开发适用于微流体系统的区域精制方法，包括原型流通区域精制系统。该系统的设计不依赖于微流体系统特有的基本现象，并且似乎可以将其按比例放大以提供用于工业规模应用的简化的连续流动区域精制能力。该技术的更广泛影响（商业潜力）将导致开发一种新的工具集，这将大大扩展微流体设备的能力。该项目的最终目标是将一个完整的生物程序整合到一个实用的、低成本的独立设备上，该设备足够小，便于携带，但仍然包含适应复杂应用所需的试剂和功能，如分子诊断。分子诊断测试的日益增加的复杂性和提供具有成本效益的护理点测定的压力将继续增加对这种系统的需求。这项技术的社会影响将是大幅降低成本，更准确和一致的结果，以及更快速和更具体的治疗带来的医疗保健改善。此外，宏观连续流动区域精炼能力的成功开发将导致制药生产和食品加工等不同领域的效率提高。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will evaluate the feasibility of micro-fluidic zone melting, and the derivative concepts of both micro- and macro-scale continuous-flow zone refining. Zone refining is an established materials purification technique used in certain specialty applications, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing, but broader use is limited by cost and complexity. In microfluidic systems, the absence of turbulent and convective mixing, combined with the potential for rapid and precise temperature changes, presents an interesting new opportunity to expand the utility of zone melting techniques. In particular, zone refining can potentially provide new tools for sample concentration and purification, while zone leveling can provide a new tool for fluid mixing. Preliminary work has shown that these techniques can be extended to developing zone refining methods applicable for microfluidic systems, including a prototype flow-through zone refining system. The design of this system does not depend on fundamental phenomena particular to microfluidic systems, and it appears possible to scale it up to provide a simplified continuous-flow zone refining capability for industrial-scale applications. The broader impacts (commercial potential) of this technology would result in the development of a new tool set that would greatly extend the capability of microfluidic devices. The ultimate goal of this project is to incorporate a complete biological procedure on a practical, low-cost self-contained device that is small enough to be easily portable, yet still contain the reagents and functions needed to accommodate complex applications such as those for molecular diagnostics. The increasing complexity of molecular diagnostic tests and the pressure to provide cost effective point-of-care assays will continue to increase the demand for such systems. The societal impact of this technology will be substantial cost reduction, more accurate and consistent results, and improved health care resulting from more rapid and specific treatment. In addition, successful development of a macroscopic continuous-flow zone refining capability will lead to improved efficiency in fields as diverse as pharmaceutical production and food processing.