A disposable acoustofluidic chip for nano/microparticle separation using unidirectional acoustic transducers
Shuaiguo Zhao1, Mengxi Wu, Shujie Yang
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA. tony.huang@duke.edu.
Lab on a Chip
|March 21, 2020
Summary
Disposable acoustofluidic devices using surface acoustic waves (SAWs) offer a cost-effective solution for separating nano/microparticles. This innovation avoids cross-contamination and reduces costs in biological and medical applications.
Area of Science:
- Acoustofluidics
- Nanotechnology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices are promising for nano/microparticle separation in biological and medical fields.
- Current SAW devices are non-disposable due to permanent microchannel bonding, leading to high costs and cross-contamination risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance, disposable acoustofluidic platform for efficient nano/microparticle separation.
- To overcome the limitations of non-disposable SAW devices, enabling broader applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized unidirectional interdigital transducers (IDTs) for SAW generation.
- Implemented a hybrid channel design combining hard and soft materials.
- Employed tilted-angle standing SAWs (taSSAWs) for particle manipulation.
Main Results:
- Achieved acoustic radiation forces comparable to non-disposable devices.
- Successfully separated both microparticles and nanoparticles.
- Differentiated bacteria from human red blood cells (RBCs) with up to 96% purity.
Conclusions:
- Developed a versatile, disposable acoustofluidic platform for micro/nanoparticle separation.
- The platform offers high separation efficiency and biocompatibility.
- This technology enables cost-effective and contamination-free particle separation for various applications.
