Communication
Version 1
This version is not peer-reviewed
Offsetting Dense Particle Sedimentation in Microfluidic Systems
Version 1
: Received: 30 July 2024 / Approved: 2 August 2024 / Online: 6 August 2024 (03:47:04 CEST)
How to cite: Anyaduba, T. D. Offsetting Dense Particle Sedimentation in Microfluidic Systems. Preprints 2024, 2024080208. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.0208.v1 Anyaduba, T. D. Offsetting Dense Particle Sedimentation in Microfluidic Systems. Preprints 2024, 2024080208. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.0208.v1
Abstract
Sedimentation is an undesirable phenomenon that complicates the design of microsystems that exploit dense microparticles as delivery tools, especially in biotechnological applications. It often informs the integration of continuous mixing modules, consequently impacting system footprint, cost, and complexity. The impact of sedimentation is significantly worse in systems designed with the intent of particle metering or binary encapsulation in droplets. Circumventing this problem involves the unsatisfactory adoption of gel microparticles as an alternative. This paper presents two solutions – a hydrodynamic solution that changes the particle sedimentation trajectory relative to a flow-rate dependent resultant force; and induced hindered settling (i-HS), which exploits Richardson-Zaki (RZ) corrections of Stokes’ law. The hydrodynamic solution was validated using a multi-well fluidic multiplexing and particle metering manifold. Computational image analysis of multiplex metering efficiency using this method showed an average reduction in well-to-well variation in particle concentration from 45% (Q = 1 mL/min, n = 32 total wells) to 17% (Q = 10 mL/ min, n = 48 total wells). By exploiting a physical property (cloud point) of surfactants in the bead suspension in vials, the i-HS achieved 58% reduction in the sedimentation rate. This effect results from surfactant phase change, which increases the turbidity (transient increase in particle concentration), thereby exploitingthe RZ theories. Both methods can be used independently or synergistically to eliminate bead settling in microsystems or minimize particle sedimentation.
Keywords
microfluidics; beads; sedimentation; cloud point; droplet microfluidics; phase change; surfactant; hindered settling; Richardson-Zaki; stokes law; fluid dynamics; fluid splitting; fluid metering; dense particles
Subject
Engineering, Bioengineering
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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