Optimized hybrid dielectrophoretic microchip for separation of bioparticles

Abstract

Point‐of‐care diagnostics requires a smart separation of particles and/or cells. In this work, the multiorifice fluid fractionation as a passive method and dielectrophoresis‐based actuator as an active tool are combined to offer a new device for size‐based particle separation. The main objective of the combination of these two well‐established techniques is to improve the performance of the multiorifice fluid fractionation by taking advantage of dielectrophoresis‐based actuator for separating particles. Initially, by using numerical simulations, the effect of using dielectrophoresis‐based actuator in multiorifice fluid fractionation on the separation of particles was investigated, and the size of the device was optimized by 25% compared to a device without dielectrophoresis‐based actuator. Also, adding dielectrophoresis‐based actuator to multiorifice fluid fractionation can extend the range of flow rates needed for separation. In the absence of dielectrophoresis‐based actuator, the separation took place only when the flow rate is 100 μL/min, in the presence of dielectrophoresis‐based actuator (20 Vp‐p), the separation happened in flow rates ranging from 70 to 120 μL/min.