Design and fabrication flow focusing microfluidic device for continuous dielectrophoretic separation

Abstract

We present a flow focusing microfluidic device for continuous dielectrophoretic separation. Our method relies on our unique microfluidic geometry which performs hydrodynamic focusing, generates flow with three inlets and three outlets. To improve particle separation in array type microelectrode, we hydrodynamically focus the main flow into the region of interest to the gap between the two electrodes. We design the geometry of the device using 3D CAD software and study the fluid flow using Comsol Multiphysics 5.4. Then, we fabricate this microfluidics device using the micro-milling process combine with soft lithography using PDMS. Lastly, we do an experimental flow setup using our microfluidic device to see the hydrodynamic flow focusing within the channel with three different main flow rate ratio to the sheath flow.