Issue 22, 2009
From the journal:

Lab on a Chip

A continuous high-throughput bioparticle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis†

I-Fang Cheng,a   Victoria E. Froude,b   Yingxi Zhu,b   Hsueh-Chia Chang*b  and  Hsien-Chang Chang*acd  

* Corresponding authors

a Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystem Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
E-mail: hcchang@mail.ncku.edu.tw

b Center for Microfluidics and Medical Diagnostics, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
E-mail: hchang@nd.edu

c Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC

d Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC

Abstract

We present a high throughput (maximum flow rate ∼10 µl/min or linear velocity ∼3 mm/s) continuous bio-particle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis (twDEP) at an optimum AC frequency of 500 kHz. The high throughput sorting is achieved with a sustained twDEP particle force normal to the continuous through-flow, which is applied over the entire chip by a single 3D electrode array. The design allows continuous fractionation of micron-sized particles into different downstream sub-channels based on differences in their twDEP mobility on both sides of the cross-over. Conventional DEP is integrated upstream to focus the particles into a single levitated queue to allow twDEP sorting by mobility difference and to minimize sedimentation and field-induced lysis. The 3D electrode array design minimizes the offsetting effect of nDEP (negative DEP with particle force towards regions with weak fields) on twDEP such that both forces increase monotonically with voltage to further increase the throughput. Effective focusing and separation of red blood cells from debris-filled heterogeneous samples are demonstrated, as well as size-based separation of poly-dispersed liposome suspensions into two distinct bands at 2.3 to 4.6 µm and 1.5 to 2.7 µm, at the highest throughput recorded in hand-held chips of 6 µl/min.

Graphical abstract: A continuous high-throughput bioparticle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/B910587E
Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 May 2009
Accepted
10 Aug 2009
First published
02 Sep 2009

Lab Chip, 2009,9, 3193-3201

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A continuous high-throughput bioparticle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis

I. Cheng, V. E. Froude, Y. Zhu, H. Chang and H. Chang, Lab Chip, 2009, 9, 3193 DOI: 10.1039/B910587E

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