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Fabrication and Operation of Acoustofluidic Devices Supporting Bulk Acoustic Standing Waves for Sheathless Focusing of Particles
Published on: March 6, 2016
Performance of a quarter-wavelength particle concentrator
R J Townsend1, M Hill, N R Harris
1School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton, SO171BJ, UK. R.J.Townsend@soton.ac.uk
Ultrasonics
|July 31, 2008
Summary
This study presents novel acoustic resonator devices for continuous particle concentration. These devices achieve significant concentration increases for micron-sized particles, offering an alternative to batch methods like centrifugation.
Area of Science:
- Acoustic manipulation
- Microfluidics
- Particle concentration
Background:
- Traditional particle concentration methods like centrifugation are batch processes.
- Acoustic radiation forces offer a potential alternative for particle manipulation.
- Continuous flow systems are desirable for efficient particle processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate devices utilizing acoustic radiation forces for continuous particle concentration.
- To explore the design and fabrication of multi-layered acoustic resonators.
- To evaluate the concentration performance for various particle sizes.
Main Methods:
- Development of micro-fabricated and modular acoustic resonator devices.
- Utilizing quarter-wavelength resonance to create acoustic pressure nodes.
- Employing acoustic impedance transfer modeling for design parameter analysis.
- Conducting concentration tests with polystyrene particles of varying sizes.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated continuous flow particle concentration using acoustic radiation forces.
- Achieved significant concentration factors: 4.4-fold for 9 µm, 6.0-fold for 3 µm, and 3.2-fold for 1 µm particles.
- Investigated the impact of voltage and flow rate on concentration efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Acoustic resonator devices provide an effective method for continuous particle concentration.
- The design parameters significantly influence acoustic energy density and nodal positioning.
- These devices offer a promising alternative to traditional batch concentration techniques.
