Reusable Embedded Microcoils for Magnetic Nano-Beads Trapping in Microfluidics: Magnetic Simulation and Experiments

Area of Science:

• Microfluidics
• Biosensing
• Magnetic Nanoparticle Manipulation

Background:

• Developing integrated microfluidic systems for biological assays is crucial for lab-on-chip devices.
• Efficient manipulation and detection of magnetic nanobeads require optimized microcoil designs.
• Reversible bonding techniques are needed for reusable microfluidic components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a microfluidic chip with integrated coils for magnetic nanobead trapping.
• To develop and present a reversible bonding technique for Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels.
• To optimize planar microcoil design for efficient bead trapping and sensitive biological detection.

Main Methods:

• Finite Element (FE) method using ANSYS software to simulate magnetic fields and power consumption.
• Design and fabrication of microfluidic chips with integrated planar microcoils.
• Development of a reversible PDMS channel bonding technique using a CYTOPproduct coating.

Main Results:

• Optimized microcoil designs were proposed based on merit factors representing trapping efficiency per unit power.
• A reversible bonding technique for PDMS channels was successfully demonstrated, enabling substrate reuse.
• The fabricated microcoils were integrated into a microfluidic chip for magnetic immunoassay applications.

Conclusions:

• The study provides an optimized approach for fabricating planar microcoils for microfluidic applications.
• The developed microfluidic chip enables fast and highly sensitive biological element detection.
• The reversible bonding technique enhances the reusability and cost-effectiveness of microfluidic devices.