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DC dielectrophoretic focusing of particles in a serpentine microchannel

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Abstract

Focusing particles into a tight stream is usually a necessary step prior to separating and sorting them. We present herein a proof-of-concept experiment of a novel particle focusing technique in DC electrokinetic flow through a planar serpentine microchannel. This focusing stems from the cross-stream dielectrophoretic motion induced within the channel turns. The observed particle focusing behavior is consistent with the predicted particle trajectories from a numerical modeling.

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Acknowledgments

The support from Clemson University through a start-up package and a Research Equipment Fund to Xuan is gratefully acknowledged. The support from the State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics in China is also gratefully appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634-0921, USA

    Junjie Zhu & Xiangchun Xuan

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634-0314, USA

    Tzuen-Rong J. Tzeng

  3. LNM, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China

    Guoqing Hu

Authors
  1. Junjie Zhu
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  2. Tzuen-Rong J. Tzeng
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  3. Guoqing Hu
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  4. Xiangchun Xuan
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Correspondence to Xiangchun Xuan.

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Zhu, J., Tzeng, TR.J., Hu, G. et al. DC dielectrophoretic focusing of particles in a serpentine microchannel. Microfluid Nanofluid 7, 751 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-009-0432-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-009-0432-7

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