Issue 5, 2015

Asymmetric traps array for particle transport

Abstract

Passive fluidic particle manipulation techniques are useful for particle handling in microfluidic devices. Created using specifically designed channel structures, these systems are advantageous due to their low energy requirements and simple operation. Here we present results on a passive fluidic element termed an asymmetric trap, that is based on obstacle/particle steric interactions. The asymmetric behavior—capturing particles during downward flow with respect to the trap and releasing or passing particles during upward flow—is induced by the asymmetric configuration of the trap elements. The critical particle diameter for the asymmetric behavior in the trap array was theoretically obtained by numerically solving the conservation of flow equations through critical gaps between trap array elements. Based on the physical dimension of the array, five different trap/particle interaction regimes are predicted: symmetric passage (I), asymmetric passage (IIa), symmetric capturing (IIb), asymmetric capturing (III), and channel clogging (IV). The presence of these regimes was experimentally confirmed using micron-sized particles (20.3 μm and 10.1 μm) at low Reynolds number (Re < 0.1).

Graphical abstract: Asymmetric traps array for particle transport

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 Oct 2014
Accepted
04 Dec 2014
First published
11 Dec 2014

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 3358-3364

Asymmetric traps array for particle transport

J. Lee and M. A. Burns, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 3358 DOI: 10.1039/C4RA14501A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements