Microfluidic Separation Channel Layout for Height-Consistent QC
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microfluidic chips for separating and concentrating microparticles or plasma face challenges in maintaining consistent passage part and micro-pattern heights, leading to reduced separation efficiency, and lack a structure to ensure height consistency.
Innovation Solution
A target object separation device with a first passage part and a second passage part of equal height, featuring structures that confirm and maintain consistent heights, and a QC solution filled in the second passage part to enhance bonding strength, along with engraved structures and pillar structures to facilitate efficient separation and concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If existing microfluidic chips are used for separation, then separation function is provided, but height consistency of passage part and micro-patterns cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The microfluidic chip is divided into a first passage part for separation and a second passage part for quality control. The second passage part includes reference structures with known heights that can be used to verify the height consistency of the first passage part, thereby ensuring manufacturing precision without compromising separation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The second passage part acts as an intermediary element that provides reference structures for height verification. These reference structures serve as intermediaries to check whether the passage part heights are within the acceptable range, enabling quality control without interfering with the main separation function.
2Ease of manufacture
If passage part heights are not kept constant, then manufacturing is easier, but separation effect is drastically reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the functional passage part from the quality control passage part, the design allows for easier manufacturing of each component while maintaining overall height consistency through reference structures in the second passage part.
Solution Approach 2:
The second passage part provides a feedback mechanism through reference structures that can be measured to verify the height consistency of the first passage part. This feedback loop ensures that even if manufacturing variations occur, the separation effect is maintained by identifying and correcting deviations.
3Ease of operation
If microfluidic chip is used for small sample processing, then portability and cost are improved, but separation efficiency decreases compared to centrifuge
Solution Approach 1:
The microfluidic chip utilizes changes in fluid flow parameters and pressure gradients to achieve separation, replacing the centrifugal force-based separation of traditional centrifuges. This parameter-based approach maintains portability while achieving comparable or superior separation efficiency for small samples through optimized channel geometry and flow control.
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
Ensures consistent separation and concentration of microparticles by maintaining passage part heights, improving bonding strength, and enhancing separation efficiency while minimizing physical damage to microparticles.
Implementation Method 1
a second passage part that is separately formed from the first passage part... the second passage part has the same height as the first passage part... filled in the second passage part to confirm whether the first passage part is formed at a certain height
Implementation Method 2
engraved structures... in which a target object flows with being concentrated in a certain direction while the fluid injected into the injection part flows
Implementation Method 3
pillar structures... to facilitate efficient separation and concentration
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a target object separation device including: an injection part into which a fluid containing microparticles is injected; a first passage part that includes one or more first structures and in which a target object flows with being concentrated in a certain direction while the fluid injected into the injection part flows; a second passage part that is separately formed from the first passage part; and a target object acquisition part that acquires the target object concentrated in the certain direction, wherein the second passage part has the same height as the first passage part and includes one or more second structures formed at the same height as each of the one or more first structures.