Centrifugal Microfluidic Chip Mounting for Bubble Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microarray digital PCR chips face inefficiencies in sample injection due to bubble formation caused by uneven hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, leading to incomplete chamber filling and reduced amplification efficiency, which affects reaction outcomes and interpretation.
Innovation Solution
A centrifugal structure member for microfluidic chips, featuring a connecting portion for a centrifuge rotor, a support portion with an inclined outer surface, and a mounting portion with a chip groove, designed to detachably mount the chip and utilize centrifugal force to release air bubbles, enhancing sample injection and reaction efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sample injection is performed through one sample injection hole, then the structure is simple and operation is easy, but bubbles form due to uneven hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, reducing filling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the sample injection process into two independent channels by providing first and second sample injection holes. The first hole allows PCR reaction solution to enter the chamber, while the second hole enables oil phase entry and subsequent bubble discharge. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple operation through direct injection while improving filling efficiency through dedicated bubble elimination pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary oil phase that serves dual functions: it facilitates complete chamber filling by displacing air bubbles during the injection process, and it provides a discharge pathway for bubble removal through the second sample injection hole. This intermediary substance resolves the contradiction between simple injection operation and efficient chamber filling by mediating the interaction between reaction solution and chamber environment.
2Device complexity
If bubbles remain in the chamber, then the structure remains simple without additional components, but amplification efficiency and result interpretation are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts bubbles from the chamber system by providing a dedicated discharge pathway through the second sample injection hole. The oil phase carries bubbles out of the chamber during the injection process, effectively removing the harmful bubbles without adding complex bubble removal mechanisms. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple chip structure while improving amplification reliability through passive bubble extraction.
3Temperature
If thermal expansion and contraction occur during heating and cooling, then the natural physical process occurs, but bubbles move around and cause crosstalk between chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention fills the chamber completely with homogeneous liquid (PCR reaction solution and oil phase mixture), eliminating air bubbles that would otherwise move during thermal expansion and contraction. By replacing compressible gas with incompressible liquid, the system maintains homogeneous fluid distribution throughout temperature cycles, preventing bubble migration and chamber crosstalk while allowing natural heating and cooling processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The centrifugal structure effectively reduces bubble formation and improves the efficiency of sample injection and PCR amplification by leveraging centrifugal force to separate air bubbles from the reaction solution, leading to enhanced filling of microarray chambers and improved amplification accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a centrifugal structure member for a microfluidic chip... utilize centrifugal force to release air bubbles
Implementation Method 2
support portion with an inclined outer surface... configured to detachably mount the chip and utilize centrifugal force to release air bubbles
Data Source
AI summary
A centrifugal structure member of a microfluidic chip and a centrifuge are provided. The centrifugal structure member of a microfluidic chip includes: a connecting portion (10) configured to connect to a rotor of a centrifuge; a support portion (20) fixedly connected or integrally formed with the connecting portion (10), and having an inclined outer surface forming an included angle with the rotation axis (50) of the rotor of the centrifuge; and a mounting portion (30) connected with or formed on the inclined outer surface, and configured to detachably mount the microfluidic chip (40) on the support portion (20).