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A new approach to design an efficient micropost array for enhanced direct-current insulator-based dielectrophoretic trapping

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Abstract

Direct-current insulator-based dielectrophoresis (DC-iDEP) is a well-known technique that benefits from the electric field gradients generated by an array of insulating posts to separate or trap biological particles. The aim of this study is to provide a first geometrical relationship of the post array that independent of the particles and/or medium, maximizes the trapping. A novel figure of merit is proposed to maximize the particle trapping in the post array while minimizing the required voltage, with a similar footprint and channel thickness. Different post array models with the variation of transversal distance (10 to 60 μm), longitudinal distance (10 to 80 μm), and post radius (10 to 150 μm) were analyzed using COMSOL Multiphysics finite element software. The obtained results indicated that a post radius of 40 μm larger than the transversal distance between posts could enhance the trapping condition between 56 % (for a transversal distance of 10 μm) and 341 % (for a transversal distance of 60 μm). For the validation of the numerical results, several microchannels with embedded post arrays were manufactured in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the particle trapping patterns of 6-μm-diameter polystyrene particles were measured experimentally. The experiments confirm the same trends as pointed out by the numerical analysis. The results show that this new figure of merit and geometrical relationship can be used to reduce the required electric field to achieve effective particle trapping and, therefore, avoid the negative effects of Joule heating in cells or viable particles. The main advantage of these results is that they depend only on the geometry of the micropost array and are valid for trapping different particles suspended in different media.

Analysis to maximize the particle trapping in the post array while minimizing the required voltage. I. Microfluidic channel design and experimental setup II. Numerical and experimental results. III. Maximum trapping value

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Abbreviations

DC:

Direct current

DEP:

Dielectrophoresis

eDEP:

Electrode-based DEP

EK:

Electrokinetic

iDEP:

Insulator-based DEP

RBC:

Red blood cell

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Acknowledgments

The project has been funded by BIOPAPμFLUID CTQ2013-48995-C2-1-R of the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad of Spain

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomedical Diagnostics Institute, National Center for Sensor Research, Physics Department, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland

    Mahdi Mohammadi

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, Technical University of Catalonia, 08222, Terrassa, Spain

    Mahdi Mohammadi, Jordi Sellarès & Jasmina Casals-Terré

  3. Mechanical Engineering Department, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

    Mohammad Javad Zare

  4. Laboratory Colloïdes et Matériaux Divisés, ESPCI ParisTech, Paris, 75005, France

    Hojjat Madadi

  5. MicroTech Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia, 08222, Terrassa, Spain

    Jasmina Casals-Terré

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  1. Mahdi Mohammadi
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  2. Mohammad Javad Zare
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  5. Jasmina Casals-Terré
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Correspondence to Jasmina Casals-Terré.

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Mohammadi, M., Zare, M.J., Madadi, H. et al. A new approach to design an efficient micropost array for enhanced direct-current insulator-based dielectrophoretic trapping. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 5285–5294 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9629-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9629-2

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