Pressure-Controlled Microfluidic Chip for Nanoparticle Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nanoparticle synthesis technologies face challenges in achieving high-throughput and small-volume production with uniform size distribution and reproducibility, particularly due to limitations in syringe pumps and complex fluid control components that lead to inefficiencies and increased design and production costs.
Innovation Solution
A microfluidic chip with integrated liquid storage pools and a pressure distribution assembly, utilizing a multi-channel pressure controller and sealing gasket for precise pressure control, enabling direct reagent synthesis and minimizing dead volume, allowing for high-throughput and small-volume nanoparticle production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If syringe pump is used to propel fluid into microfluidic chip, then nanoparticle size controllability and uniformity are improved, but device volume increases, response speed decreases, and adjustment accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical syringe pump system with a pressure-controlled fluid delivery system. Instead of using mechanical pumping components that have inherent response delays and volume constraints, the invention uses pressure control to drive fluid flow through the microfluidic chip, achieving faster response and better adjustment accuracy while maintaining nanoparticle size uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the syringe pump component from the system entirely. By removing this problematic mechanical component, the invention avoids its inherent shortcomings of large volume, slow response, and poor adjustment accuracy, while still achieving the desired nanoparticle synthesis performance through alternative pressure-controlled fluid delivery.
2Manufacturing precision
If syringe pump is used for nanoparticle synthesis, then mixing uniformity is improved, but system complexity increases when expanding to high-throughput production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal pressure-controlled fluid delivery system that can serve multiple functions and multiple samples simultaneously. Instead of requiring separate syringe pumps for each sample in high-throughput operations, the invention uses a single pressure control system that can manage multiple flow channels, reducing system complexity while maintaining mixing uniformity across all samples.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple fluid delivery functions into a single integrated pressure-controlled system. By combining what would traditionally require multiple separate syringe pumps into one unified pressure control architecture, the invention reduces system complexity and enables high-throughput production with multiple samples running simultaneously.
3Device complexity
If conventional batch mixing method is used, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but nanoparticle size uniformity and reproducibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from bulk-scale mixing to micro-scale mixing by utilizing microfluidic channels with dimensions in the micrometer range. This dimensional change from macro to micro scale enables precise control of mixing processes, achieving uniform nanoparticle size distribution while maintaining relatively simple equipment architecture through integrated microfluidic chip design.
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 system achieves precise control over nanoparticle size, distribution, and consistency, reduces reagent waste, and supports efficient high-throughput production, compatible with existing low-throughput systems for formula optimization.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure distribution assembly connected to an output end of the pressure controller, wherein a pressure output end of the pressure distribution assembly is connected to any one of the above microfluidic chips
Data Source
AI summary
A microfluidic chip and a high-throughput small-volume nanoparticle synthesis system based on microfluidic technology are provided. The system comprises a pressure controller and a pressure distribution assembly, which is connected to an output end of the pressure controller; a pressure output end of the pressure distribution assembly is connected to a microfluidic chip, a flow channel for nano-particle synthesis is arranged on the microfluidic chip, and each of an inlet end and a synthesis end of the flow channel is provided with a liquid storage pool. The size, distribution and consistency of nano-particles are accurately controlled, and reagent raw materials are directly for synthesis by means of a flow channel, thereby avoiding reagent waste caused by dead volume due to redundant connection, and high-throughput requirement are effectively met by means of increasing the number of microfluidic chips or parallel flow channels on the same chip.