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Fabrication and Operation of Acoustofluidic Devices Supporting Bulk Acoustic Standing Waves for Sheathless Focusing of Particles
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Acoustofluidic Properties of Polystyrene Microparticles.
Alexander Edthofer1, Jakub Novotny2, Andreas Lenshof1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, 223 63 Lund, Sweden.
Analytical Chemistry
|June 26, 2023
Summary
Polystyrene microparticles, commonly used as reference particles in acoustophoresis, exhibit significant variations in their properties. This variability necessitates caution when using them for cell characterization and acoustofluidics calibration.
Area of Science:
- Acoustofluidics
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Acoustophoresis is a key technique for separating microparticles and cells based on biophysical properties.
- Measuring cell compressibility via acoustic mobility is crucial for understanding cellular contents.
- Accurate calibration of acoustic energy density is essential for reliable acoustophoresis measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the variability in acousto-mechanical properties of polystyrene microparticles used as references in acoustophoresis.
- To quantify the spread in material properties among different types of polystyrene beads.
- To assess the suitability of polystyrene particles as reliable references for cell characterization.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-step focusing method to measure the relative acoustic mobility of polystyrene beads.
- Analyzed polystyrene microparticles of various sizes and colors.
- Quantitatively assessed variations in acousto-mechanical properties.
Main Results:
- A significant variation exceeding 25% was observed in the material properties of different polystyrene microparticle types.
- Polystyrene microparticles demonstrate a wide spread in their acousto-mechanical characteristics.
- The study highlights inconsistencies in the properties of commonly used reference particles.
Conclusions:
- Polystyrene microparticles show considerable heterogeneity in their properties, impacting their reliability as references.
- Caution is advised when using polystyrene particles for calibrating acoustofluidics systems or measuring cell properties.
- Further research into standardized reference particles is needed for accurate acoustophoresis applications.
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