Microfluidics

Microfluidic chips feature channels of 5 – 500 micrometer in diameter wherein liquids can be handled by means of various devices such as mixing crosses, turbulent mixers, reaction chambers, deceleration meanders in order to mix the fluids, start and follow reactions or investigate reaction pathways. The fluids are pumped through the channels using highly precise syringe pumps with flows in the microliter to milliliter per hour range. Microfluidics can also be employed to fabricate colloidal structures like (multiple) emulsions, hollow structures (vesicles), capsules, solid particles via precipitation or aerosols via a spray nozzle. Due to similar channel / nozzle diameter, inkjet technologies also feature some of the capabilities of microfluidics.

In JCNS-1, microfluidic channel systems are in-house designed using 3D-construction software and fabricated via photo lithography (HNF) followed by soft lithography or 3D printing technologies. The microfluidic channel systems are i.a. used to fabricate hydrogels for cell encapsulation, tracing reactions via SAXS, confocal and optical microscopy or recording of reaction kinetics via fluorescence microscopy. Findings from the experiments can act as input parameter for FE-simulations using COMSOL software which help to optimize the channel design.

In JCNS-1, inkjet technologies are used for the production of colloidal systems and spraying of thin layers of fluids onto substrates like glass or silicon wafers.

Microfluidics
Microfluidics

References:

  1. X. Chen, J. H. Schröder, S. Hauschild, S. Rosenfeldt, M. Dulle, S. Förster,
    Simultaneous SAXS/WAXS/UV−Vis Study of the Nucleation and Growth of Nanoparticles: A Test of Classical Nucleation Theory
    Langmuir 2015, 31, 11678-91
  2. U. E. A. Fittschen, N. H. Bings, S. Hauschild, S. Förster, A. F. Kiera, E. Karavani, A. Frömsdorf and J. Thiele,
    Characteristics of Picoliter Droplet Dried Residuesas Standards for Direct Analysis Techniques
    Analytical Chemistry 2008, 80(6), 1967-77S.
  3. Hauschild, U. Lipprandt, A. Rumplecker, U. Borchert, A. Rank, R. Schubert and S. Förster,
    Direct Preparation and Loading of Lipid and Polymer Vesicles Using Inkjets
    Small 2005, 1(12), 1177-80.

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Last Modified: 24.05.2022