Lab-in-a-fiber-based integrated particle separation and counting

Area of Science:

• Microfluidics and particle manipulation
• Biomedical engineering and instrumentation

Background:

• Accurate particle separation and counting are crucial for biomedical applications.
• Existing microfluidic devices often face limitations in throughput and integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an all-fiber integrated device for passive particle separation and counting.
• To demonstrate size-based elasto-inertial separation in a continuous flow system.
• To enable high-throughput particle quantification for microflow cytometers.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an all-fiber component using silica fiber capillaries with varying diameters and cavities.
• Utilizing elasto-inertial forces in a viscoelastic fluid (polyethylene oxide) for particle separation.
• Employing fluorescent particles (1 μm and 10 μm) for experimental validation.
• Integrating a secondary all-fiber component for particle counting.

Main Results:

• Achieved 100% separation efficiency for 10 μm particles and 97% for 1 μm particles.
• Demonstrated effective inertial-based separation in circular microchannels, a novel approach.
• Attained a particle counting throughput of approximately 1400 particles per minute.
• Successfully integrated separation and counting functionalities within an all-fiber system.

Conclusions:

• The developed all-fiber device offers a promising solution for high-throughput particle separation and quantification.
• This technology has the potential to advance the development of microflow cytometers for biomedical diagnostics.
• The elasto-inertial separation in circular microchannels represents a significant advancement in microfluidic particle manipulation.