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Three-Dimensionally Printed Microfluidic Cross-flow System for Ultrafiltration/Nanofiltration Membrane Performance Testing
Published on: February 13, 2016
Integrated membrane filters for minimizing hydrodynamic flow and filtering in microfluidic devices
Scott D Noblitt1, James R Kraly, Jaimie M VanBuren
1Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, 1872 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.
Analytical Chemistry
|July 20, 2007
Summary
This study integrates membrane filters into microfluidic devices, improving analysis of complex samples by preventing channel blockage and reducing flow variations. This innovation enhances the reliability of portable analytical tools for point-of-use applications.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Microfluidics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Microfluidic devices offer portable, low-consumption analysis but struggle with complex samples containing particles.
- Manual pre-filtration is impractical for point-of-use microfluidic applications.
- Uncontrolled sample volumes can cause hydrodynamic flow issues in microfluidic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate track-etched polycarbonate membrane filters into microfluidic devices.
- To assess the impact of these membranes on filtration of insoluble particles.
- To evaluate the effect of membranes on electrophoretic separation performance and flow control.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of track-etched polycarbonate membranes into poly(dimethylsiloxane) capillary electrophoresis microchip reservoirs.
- Filtration of insoluble particles based on membrane pore size.
- Electrophoretic separation of cations, anions, and amino acids using conductivity and fluorescence detection.
- Analysis of peak area dependence on head pressure during gated injection.
Main Results:
- Membranes effectively filtered insoluble particles, with selectivity determined by pore diameter.
- Dependence of peak areas on head pressure was reduced by up to 92%.
- Electrophoretic separation performance was not negatively impacted by membrane integration.
Conclusions:
- Integrating membranes into microfluidic device reservoirs enables analysis of complex solutions.
- This method improves sample handling for applications with poorly controlled volumes.
- The enhanced microfluidic devices are suitable for reliable point-of-use analysis.
