Development of a Tunable Dielectrophoresis Enabled Microfluidic System based on L-Shaped Electrodes for Size-based Particle Sorting

Abstract

This research develops a tunable size-based microfluidic system by using the force of negative dielectrophoresis (nDEP) A sample stream containing a mixture of particles is pinched in the upstream and then sorted by size after flowing over planar interdigitated electrodes The L-shaped electrodes and flow chamber were aligned in a particular arrangement to yield an optimal sorting effect 1 3 and 5 ?m polystyrene (PS) particles were successfully separated into three distinct streams in a short distance (1 mm) and collected in different outlet channels The sorting could be modulated by flow rate and electric potential The optimal experimental sorting efficiencies of 1 3 and 5 ?m particles achieved 92 7 % 75 2 % and 94 3 % respectively Based on the principle further sorting of smaller particles is achievable

Date of Award	2014 Jan 17
Original language	English
Supervisor	Han-Sheng Chuang (Supervisor)