Author:
Qiu Yuheng,Wei Shan,Li Jiachang,Zhang Zihao,Gong Lei,He Liqun
Abstract
We present a size-based sorting method for nanoparticles in microfluidics with the aid of light-patterned dielectrophoresis (DEP) force. In a microfluidic channel, we have succeeded in manipulating a random distribution of particles into a single stream with the DEP force as well as the hydrodynamic force, and more strikingly, the trajectory of particles is found to be size-dependent, implicating that we can precisely separate nanoparticles based on their sizes even if they are identical in mass. We have numerically predicted the behavior of sorting nanoparticles, emphasizing on the size, velocity and electrical permittivity, so as to know their influences on the effective sorting, particularly in terms of high throughput. Our work confirms that what we believe to be the novel manipulation of nanoparticles features its flexibility as well as high throughput.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province
L.G. acknowledges financial support from USTC Research Funds of the Double First-Class Initiative
University of Science and Technology of China Center for Micro- and Nanoscale Research and Fabrication
Subject
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics