Microfluidic Device for Cell Trapping with Carbon Electrodes Using Dielectrophoresis

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Dielectrophoresis (DEP) devices are crucial for cell and particle manipulation.
• Current Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based DEP devices face challenges with high cost and low yield.
• There is a need for cost-effective and high-throughput fabrication methods for DEP devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile, low-cost, and high-throughput method for constructing continuous-flow DEP devices.
• To compare the trapping efficiency of carbon electrodes versus gold electrodes in DEP devices.
• To investigate the impact of glass sealing on DEP device performance and leakage reduction.

Main Methods:

• Screen-printing technology was employed for fabricating continuous-flow DEP devices.
• Yeast cells were used as model cells for comparative trapping efficiency studies.
• Carbon and gold electrodes were fabricated and tested.
• Adhesive bonding techniques were used to seal carbon DEP devices with glass, replacing PDMS.

Main Results:

• Screen-printed carbon electrode DEP devices offer a cost-effective and durable alternative to metal electrodes.
• Glass sealing of carbon DEP devices significantly reduced leakage issues and enhanced device performance.
• Comparative studies showed promising trapping efficiency for carbon electrode DEP devices.
• Biocompatibility analysis confirmed the suitability of carbon paste for future carbon-MEMS applications.

Conclusions:

• Screen-printing offers a viable, low-cost, high-throughput fabrication method for continuous-flow DEP devices.
• Carbon electrodes, particularly when sealed with glass, provide a cost-effective and high-performance solution for DEP applications.
• The developed carbon DEP devices show potential for various cell and particle manipulation tasks, including biocompatible applications.