Microfluidic Particle Trap for Nanoparticle Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods face challenges in accurately controlling and quantitatively analyzing nanoparticles in a liquid phase due to their active Brownian movement, requiring complex and costly equipment for isolation and detection.
Innovation Solution
A particle trapping device comprising a lead-in channel, a flattened channel, and a rectangular channel with a particle pit trap, allowing target particles to flow through the channels and be trapped efficiently, reducing the need for ultracentrifugal separation and enabling low-cost, individual observation and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional centrifugal separation method is used to collect and concentrate viruses, then virus concentration is improved, but equipment cost and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical centrifugal separation system with a microfluidic chip-based system that uses controlled liquid flow and geometric channel structures (flattened channel, rectangular channel, and particle pit trap) to achieve particle concentration and trapping, eliminating the need for expensive centrifugal equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The microfluidic channel structure itself performs the separation and concentration function through its geometric design (flattened channel with specific width-to-height ratio, rectangular channel with particle pit trap), allowing the system to concentrate particles without external mechanical intervention or complex equipment
2Measurement precision
If nanoparticles are controlled in liquid phase, then spatial and temporal control is improved, but Brownian movement causes control difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a specific local environment within the particle pit trap region of the microfluidic channel where particles are confined and held stationary, contrasting with the broader liquid flow environment. The trap structure provides localized confinement that overcomes Brownian movement, enabling precise spatial control and observation of individual particles
3Measurement precision
If individual nanoparticle observation and analysis is performed, then detection precision is improved, but quantitative analysis becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent traps and observes individual particles separately in discrete particle pit trap sites within the microfluidic channel, enabling one-by-one analysis. This segmentation approach allows precise individual particle detection while maintaining simplicity through the straightforward microfluidic trapping mechanism, avoiding complex analytical procedures
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 device effectively traps and analyzes nanoparticles with high precision and stability, allowing for prolonged trapping of particles from a small liquid volume without blocking the channels, and enables low-cost separation and observation of intact particles.
Implementation Method 1
a portion of liquid containing target particles and flowing through the lead-in channel flows into the flattened channel; the target particles contained in the liquid that had flowed through the flattened channel flow into the rectangular channel
Implementation Method 2
the target particle that had flowed through the rectangular channel enter into the particle pit trap and is trapped therein
Data Source
AI summary
The particle trapping device according to the present invention comprises: a lead-in channel; a flattened channel disposed on the downstream side of the lead-in channel; a rectangular channel disposed on the downstream side of the flattened channel; and a particle pit trap disposed at least on a first inner wall face of the rectangular channel, wherein the lead-in channel has a channel cross-section larger than a channel cross-section of the flattened channel; the flattened channel has a flat channel cross-section whose the width is longer than its height; the rectangular channel has a rectangular channel cross-section, and is provided with the first inner wall face, a second inner wall face opposed to the first inner wall face, a third inner wall face, and a fourth inner wall face opposed to the third inner wall face; and the lead-in channel, the flattened channel, the rectangular channel, and the particle pit trap are characterized by being configured in such a way that a portion of liquid containing target particles and flowing through the lead-in channel flows into the flattened channel; the target particles contained in the liquid that had flowed through the flattened channel flow into the rectangular channel; and the target particle that had flowed through the rectangular channel enters into the particle pit trap and is trapped therein.