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

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目将评估微流控区熔炼的可行性，以及微观和宏观连续流区精炼的衍生概念。区域精炼是一种成熟的材料净化技术，用于某些特殊应用，特别是在半导体制造中，但由于成本和复杂性，其广泛应用受到限制。在微流体系统中，湍流和对流混合的缺乏，加上快速和精确的温度变化的潜力，为扩展区域熔化技术的应用提供了一个有趣的新机会。特别是，区域精炼可以潜在地为样品浓缩和纯化提供新的工具，而区域流平可以为流体混合提供新的工具。初步的工作表明，这些技术可以扩展到开发适用于微流体系统的区域精炼方法，包括一个原型流动区域精炼系统。该系统的设计不依赖于微流体系统特有的基本现象，并且似乎有可能扩大规模，为工业规模应用提供简化的连续流区精炼能力。这项技术的广泛影响（商业潜力）将导致开发一套新的工具，这将大大扩展微流体装置的能力。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（如分子诊断）所需的试剂和功能。分子诊断测试日益复杂，以及提供成本效益高的即时检测的压力，将继续增加对这类系统的需求。这项技术的社会影响将是大幅降低成本，获得更准确和一致的结果，并通过更快速和更具体的治疗改善医疗保健。此外，宏观连续流区精炼能力的成功开发将提高制药生产和食品加工等多个领域的效率。

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.