A sorting method and device therefor

Abstract

A microbubble sorting device (100, fig. 1) comprising: inlet (120, fig. 1) for receiving a solution containing a plurality of microbubbles 151, 152; and an array 140 of spaced obstacles 141 arranged to differentially direct the microbubbles according to their size. This direction of the microbubbles acts to separate them into a first flow and a second flow. The array may be a Non-equilibrium Inertial Separation Array, NISA, utilising inertial lift force to manipulate the microbubbles. The obstacles may be located in a channel which may comprise a hydrophilic surface. This hydrophilic surface may arise from a two-layer hydrophilic coating on the channel and array. A method of using such a device is also described. Figure 2