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Ding Z, Gu T, Zhang M, Wang K, Sun D, Li J. Angstrom-Scale 2D Channels Designed For Osmotic Energy Harvesting. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2403593. [PMID: 39180252 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Confronting the impending exhaustion of traditional energy, it is urgent to devise and deploy sustainable clean energy alternatives. Osmotic energy contained in the salinity gradient of the sea-river interface is an innovative, abundant, clean, and renewable osmotic energy that has garnered considerable attention in recent years. Inspired by the impressively intelligent ion channels in nature, the developed angstrom-scale 2D channels with simple fabrication process, outstanding design flexibility, and substantial charge density exhibit excellent energy conversion performance, opening up a new era for osmotic energy harvesting. However, this attractive research field remains fraught with numerous challenges, particularly due to the complexities associated with the regulation at angstrom scale. In this review, the latest advancements in the design of angstrom-scale 2D channels are primarily outlined for harvesting osmotic energy. Drawing upon the analytical framework of osmotic power generation mechanisms and the insights gleaned from the biomimetic intelligent devices, the design strategies are highlighted for high-performance angstrom channels in terms of structure, functionalization, and application, with a particular emphasis on ion selectivity and ion transport resistance. Finally, current challenges and future prospects are discussed to anticipate the emergence of more anomalous properties and disruptive technologies that can promote large-scale power generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengmao Ding
- Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Tiancheng Gu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, P. R. China
| | - Minghao Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, P. R. China
| | - Kaiqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Daoheng Sun
- Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jinjin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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Li J, Li M, Zhang K, Hu L, Li D. High-Performance Integrated Iontronic Circuits Based on Single Nano/Microchannels. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2208079. [PMID: 36869414 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202208079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Recently, artificial channel-based ionic diodes and transistors are extensively studied to mimic biological systems. Most of them are constructed vertically and are challenging to be further integrated. Several examples of ionic circuits with horizontal ionic diodes are reported. However, they generally require nanoscale channel sizes to meet the demand for ion-selectivity, resulting in low current output and restricting potential applications. In this paper, a novel ionic diode is developed based on multiple-layer polyelectrolyte nanochannel network membranes. Both bipolar and unipolar ionic diodes can be achieved by simply switching the modification solution. Ionic diodes with a high rectification ratio of ≈226 are achieved in single channels with the largest channel size of 2.5 µm. This design can significantly reduce the channel size requirement and improve the output current level of ionic devices. The high-performance ionic diode with a horizontal structure enables the integration of advanced iontronic circuits. Ionic transistors, logic gates, and rectifiers are fabricated on a single chip and demonstrated for current rectification. Furthermore, the excellent current rectification ratio and the high output current of the on-chip ionic devices highlight the promise of the ionic diode as a component of complex iontronic systems for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Mengqi Li
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116026, China
| | - Kaiping Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Lide Hu
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116026, China
| | - Dongqing Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
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3
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Rathnayaka C, Amarasekara CA, Akabirov K, Murphy MC, Park S, Witek MA, Soper SA. Nanofluidic devices for the separation of biomolecules. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1683:463539. [PMID: 36223665 PMCID: PMC9795076 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Over the last 30-years, microchip electrophoresis and its applications have expanded due to the benefits it offers. Nanochip electrophoresis, on the other hand, is viewed as an evolving area of electrophoresis because it offers some unique advantages not associated with microchip electrophoresis. These advantages arise from unique phenomena that occur in the nanometer domain not readily apparent in the microscale domain due to scale-dependent effects. Scale-dependent effects associated with nanochip electrophoresis includes high surface area-to-volume ratio, electrical double layer overlap generating parabolic flow even for electrokinetic pumping, concentration polarization, transverse electromigration, surface charge dominating flow, and surface roughness. Nanochip electrophoresis devices consist of channels with dimensions ranging from 1 to 1000 nm including classical (1-100 nm) and extended (100 nm - 1000 nm) nanoscale devices. In this review, we highlight scale-dependent phenomena associated with nanochip electrophoresis and the utilization of those phenomena to provide unique biomolecular separations that are not possible with microchip electrophoresis. We will also review the range of materials used for nanoscale separations and the implication of material choice for the top-down fabrication and operation of these devices. We will also provide application examples of nanochip electrophoresis for biomolecule separations with an emphasis on nano-electrophoresis (nEP) and nano-electrochromatography (nEC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chathurika Rathnayaka
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA; Center of BioModular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, USA
| | - Charuni A Amarasekara
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA; Center of BioModular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, USA
| | - Khurshed Akabirov
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA; Center of BioModular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, USA
| | - Michael C Murphy
- Center of BioModular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, USA; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, USA
| | - Sunggook Park
- Center of BioModular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, USA; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, USA
| | - Malgorzata A Witek
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA; Center of BioModular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, USA
| | - Steven A Soper
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA; Center of BioModular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA; Bioengineering Program, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA; KU Cancer Center and Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
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Lee J, Kim M. Polymeric Microfluidic Devices Fabricated Using Epoxy Resin for Chemically Demanding and Day-Long Experiments. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:838. [PMID: 36290975 PMCID: PMC9599855 DOI: 10.3390/bios12100838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a widely used material in laboratories for fabricating microfluidic devices with a rapid and reproducible prototypingability, owing to its inherent properties (e.g., flexibility, air permeability, and transparency). However, the PDMS channel is easily deformed under pressures applied to generate flows because of its elasticity, which can affect the robustness of experiments. In addition, air permeability of PDMS causes the pervaporation of water, and its porous structure absorbs oil and even small hydrophobic molecules, rendering it inappropriate for chemically demanding or day-long experiments. In this study, we develop a rapid and reproducible fabrication method for polymer-based rigid microfluidic devices, using epoxy resin that can overcome the limitations of PDMS channels, which are structurally and chemically robust. We first optimize a high-resolution fabrication protocol to achieve convenient and repeatable prototyping of polymeric devices via epoxy casting using PDMS soft molds. In addition, we compare the velocity changes in PDMS microchannels by tracking fluorescent particles in various flows (~133 μL/min) to demonstrate the structural robustness of the polymeric device. Furthermore, by comparing the adsorption of fluorescent hydrophobic chemicals and the pervaporation through channel walls, we demonstrate the excellent chemical resistance of the polymeric device and its suitability for day-long experiments. The rigid polymeric device can facilitate lab-on-chip research and enable various applications, such as high-performance liquid chromatography, anaerobic bacterial culture, and polymerase chain reaction, which require chemically or physically demanding experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeseok Lee
- Department of Mechanical System Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea
- Department of Aeronautics, Mechanical and Electronic Convergence Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea
| | - Minseok Kim
- Department of Mechanical System Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea
- Department of Aeronautics, Mechanical and Electronic Convergence Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea
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5
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Sala F, Ficorella C, Osellame R, Käs JA, Martínez Vázquez R. Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip for Studies of Cell Migration under Spatial Confinement. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12080604. [PMID: 36004998 PMCID: PMC9405557 DOI: 10.3390/bios12080604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Understanding cell migration is a key step in unraveling many physiological phenomena and predicting several pathologies, such as cancer metastasis. In particular, confinement has been proven to be a key factor in the cellular migration strategy choice. As our insight in the field improves, new tools are needed in order to empower biologists’ analysis capabilities. In this framework, microfluidic devices have been used to engineer the mechanical and spatial stimuli and to investigate cellular migration response in a more controlled way. In this work, we will review the existing technologies employed in the realization of microfluidic cellular migration assays, namely the soft lithography of PDMS and hydrogels and femtosecond laser micromachining. We will give an overview of the state of the art of these devices, focusing on the different geometrical configurations that have been exploited to study specific aspects of cellular migration. Our scope is to highlight the advantages and possibilities given by each approach and to envisage the future developments in in vitro migration studies under spatial confinement in microfluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Sala
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, CNR, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Carlotta Ficorella
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roberto Osellame
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, CNR, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Josef A. Käs
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rebeca Martínez Vázquez
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, CNR, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Li J, Zhang K, Zhao X, Li D. Single Artificial Ion Channels with Tunable Ion Transport Based on the Surface Modification of pH-Responsive Polymers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:27130-27139. [PMID: 35670465 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c03949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Artificial ion channels with tunable ionic transport control and intelligent iontronic functions at the nanoscale have a wide application in logic computing and biosensing. Although some artificial ion channels with smart ion transport characteristics have been developed, most of them are constructed on porous membranes with undefined channel numbers. It is still challenging to achieve multiple ion transport features in single nanochannels and to control the ion flow more accurately with excellent repeatability. In this paper, a design strategy is presented to fabricate pH-responsive ion channels with various ion transport features based on a single polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanochannel. The single-ion nanochannel developed by this approach can be further integrated into electronic systems on a chip. Three types of artificial ion channels are demonstrated and investigated systematically in this work. With symmetric or asymmetric pH stimuli, these ion channels can alternatively change their working states among an opened state, a closed state, and an ionic diode state. Four different ion transport features can be realized in a triple-gated ion channel system. With these advantages of the design, it is promising to build smart nanofluidic iontronic devices with widespread applicability in energy conversions, active ion transport control, and biological analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Kaiping Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Xiaoye Zhao
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Dongqing Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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Verma N, Walia S, Pandya A. Micro/nanofluidic devices for DNA/RNA detection and separation. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 186:85-107. [PMID: 35033291 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The development and research have ramped up at a greater speed than ever in the field of diseases diagnosis. Still there is struggle in developing early detection techniques which uses complex biomolecules like RNA, DNA and proteins in order to detect diseases caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. Until now separation techniques used before detection rely on traditional techniques like electrophoresis etc. which often require centralized services. Although efforts are made in developing devices that is capable enough on carrying out separation and detection based on microfluidic (MF) and nanofluidic (NF) or lab on chip. Hence, in this chapter, we have discussed about the advancement, limitations and future steps that needs to be taken to flourish the field of NF and MF for the detection and separation of nucleic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Verma
- Department of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Sakshi Walia
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Alok Pandya
- Department of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
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8
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Li J, Li D. Integrated Iontronic Circuits Based on Single Nanochannels. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:48208-48218. [PMID: 34585930 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c12324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This article presents an invention of iontronic circuits to achieve effective electronic signal manipulation base on paralleled single polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanochannels. The regulation of ion transport through the designed device is achieved by the asymmetrical decoration of charged polyelectrolytes on nanochannels. This circuit can serve as either a bipolar junction transistor or an ionic rectifier. The functionalities of the circuit are demonstrated and confirmed in different operation modes. The fabrication of this device is relatively simple. High accuracy in signal rectification can be obtained through the circuit because of the significant consistency of integrated ionic diodes. The iontronic integrated circuits presented in this paper provide new possibilities in the fabrication of iontronic devices with various functionalities on PDMS chips, toward improved biological computing and sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Dongqing Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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Sun H, Ren Y, Jiang T, Tao Y, Jiang H. Dielectrophoretic medium exchange around droplets for on-chip fabrication of layer-by-layer microcapsules. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3352-3360. [PMID: 34235524 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00357g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Continuous medium exchange within a microchannel represents a highly sought-after technique in functionalizing micro-objects with coating layers, enabling a myriad of applications ranging from biomedical engineering to materials science. Herein, we introduce a unique medium exchange approach, namely, tilted-angle dielectrophoresis, to accomplish layer-by-layer (LbL) coating on droplets in a wide microchannel. Pairs of adjacent tilted parallel electrodes arranged in a zigzag fashion are exploited to consecutively and repeatedly guide particles/droplets travelling through three parallel laminar streams comprising two reagents and a washing buffer. The performance of medium exchange is demonstrated using PS microparticles and oil droplets. We show that multi-cycle medium exchange, droplet transfer accompanied with purification, and multi-mode medium exchange around different micro-objects are achieved by conveniently regulating the applied voltage and the inlet flow rate, indicating a flexible, versatile and label-free alternative for characterizing and handling colloidal particles. Furthermore, LbL coating on droplets utilizing the presented strategy is implemented in the parallel coating-chemical and washing streams to obtain multiple layers of microcapsules. The linearly increasing fluorescence intensity of the coated droplets with each subsequent fluorescent coating demonstrates the capability of the tilted-angle dielectrophoretic medium exchanger for on-chip generation of LbL microcapsules on demand. The presented medium exchange strategy, together with its unique features of simple geometric configuration, facile control and multifunctionality, can provide a refined alternative for further expanding the utility scope in functional particles and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizhen Sun
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
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Li J, Li D. A surface charge governed nanofluidic diode based on a single polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanochannel. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 596:54-63. [PMID: 33831750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.03.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Nanofluidic diodes have attracted intense attention recently. Commonly used materials to design these devices are membrane-based short nanopores and aligned Carbon nanotube bundles. It is highly desirable and very challenging to develop a nanofluidic diode based on a single PDMS nanochannel which is easier to be introduced into an integrated electronic system on a chip. Layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition of charged polyelectrolytes can change the size and surface properties of PDMS nanochannels that provides new possibilities to develop high-performance nanofluidic based on PDMS nanochannels. EXPERIMENTS A novel design of nanofluidic diode is presented by controlling the surface charges and sizes of single PDMS nanochannels by surface modification using polyelectrolytes. Polybrene (PB) and Dextran sulfate (DS) are used to reduce the PDMS nanochannel size to meet the requirement of ion gating by LBL method and generate opposite surface charges at the ends of nanochannels. The parameters of such a nanofluidic diode are investigated systematically. FINDINGS This nanofluidic diode developed in this work has high effective current rectification performance. The rectification ratio can be as high as 218 which is the best ever reported in PB/DS modified nanochannels. This rectification ratio reduces with high voltage frequency and ionic concentration whereas increases in shorter nanochannels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Dongqing Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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Han Z, Liu J, Liu Z, Pan W, Yang Y, Chen X, Gao Y, Duan X. Resistive pulse sensing device with embedded nanochannel (nanochannel-RPS) for label-free biomolecule and bionanoparticle analysis. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 32:295507. [PMID: 33823494 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/abf510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This paper reports an IC-compatible method for fabricating a PDMS-based resistive pulse sensing (RPS) device with embedded nanochannel (nanochannel-RPS) for label-free analysis of biomolecules and bionanoparticles, such as plasmid DNAs and exosomes. Here, a multilayer lithography process was proposed to fabricate the PDMS mold for the microfluidic device, comprising a bridging nanochannel, as the sensing gate. RPS was performed by placing the sensing and excitation electrodes symmetrically upstream and downstream of the sensing gate. In order to reduce the noise level, a reference electrode was designed and placed beside the excitation electrode. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed nanochannel-RPS device and sensing system, polystyrene micro- and nanoparticles with diameters of 1μm and 300 nm were tested by the proposed device with signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) ranging from 9.1-30.5 and 2.2-5.9, respectively. Furthermore, a nanochannel with height of 300 nm was applied for 4 kb plasmid DNA detection, implying the potential of the proposed method for label-free quantification of nanoscale biomolecules. Moreover, HeLa cell exosomes, known as a well-studied subtype of extracellular vesicles, were measured and analyzed by their size distribution. The result of the resistive pulse amplitude corresponded well to that of nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The proposed nanochannel-RPS device and the sensing strategy are not only capable of label-free analysis for nanoscale biomolecules and bionanoparticles, but are also cost-effective for large-scale manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiantao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhanning Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenwei Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuejiao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunhua Gao
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuexin Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
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Seo S, Ha D, Kim T. Evaporation-driven transport-control of small molecules along nanoslits. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1336. [PMID: 33637759 PMCID: PMC7910579 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21584-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding and controlling the transport mechanisms of small molecules at the micro/nanoscales is vital because they provide a working principle for a variety of practical micro/nanofluidic applications. However, most precedent mechanisms still have remaining obstacles such as complicated fabrication processes, limitations of materials, and undesired damage on samples. Herein, we present the evaporation-driven transport-control of small molecules in gas-permeable and low-aspect ratio nanoslits, wherein both the diffusive and advective mass transports of solutes are affected by solvent evaporation through the nanoslit walls. The effect of the evaporation flux on the mass transport of small molecules in various nanoslit-integrated micro/nanofluidic devices is characterized, and dynamic transport along the nanoslit is investigated by conducting numerical simulations using the advection-diffusion equation. We further demonstrate that evaporation-driven, nanoslit-based transport-control can be easily applied to a micro/nanofluidic channel network in an independent and addressable array, offering a unique working principle for micro/nanofluidic applications and components such as molecule-valves, -concentrators, -pumps, and -filters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangjin Seo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Dogyeong Ha
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Taesung Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
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Nazari M, Davoodabadi A, Huang D, Luo T, Ghasemi H. Transport Phenomena in Nano/Molecular Confinements. ACS NANO 2020; 14:16348-16391. [PMID: 33253531 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c07372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The transport of fluid and ions in nano/molecular confinements is the governing physics of a myriad of embodiments in nature and technology including human physiology, plants, energy modules, water collection and treatment systems, chemical processes, materials synthesis, and medicine. At nano/molecular scales, the confinement dimension approaches the molecular size and the transport characteristics deviates significantly from that at macro/micro scales. A thorough understanding of physics of transport at these scales and associated fluid properties is undoubtedly critical for future technologies. This compressive review provides an elaborate picture on the promising future applications of nano/molecular transport, highlights experimental and simulation metrologies to probe and comprehend this transport phenomenon, discusses the physics of fluid transport, tunable flow by orders of magnitude, and gating mechanisms at these scales, and lists the advancement in the fabrication methodologies to turn these transport concepts into reality. Properties such as chain-like liquid transport, confined gas transport, surface charge-driven ion transport, physical/chemical ion gates, and ion diodes will provide avenues to devise technologies with enhanced performance inaccessible through macro/micro systems. This review aims to provide a consolidated body of knowledge to accelerate innovation and breakthrough in the above fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Nazari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, 4726 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Ali Davoodabadi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, 4726 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Dezhao Huang
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Tengfei Luo
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Hadi Ghasemi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, 4726 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
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14
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Morikawa K, Kazoe Y, Takagi Y, Tsuyama Y, Pihosh Y, Tsukahara T, Kitamori T. Advanced Top-Down Fabrication for a Fused Silica Nanofluidic Device. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:E995. [PMID: 33182488 PMCID: PMC7697862 DOI: 10.3390/mi11110995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nanofluidics have recently attracted significant attention with regard to the development of new functionalities and applications, and producing new functional devices utilizing nanofluidics will require the fabrication of nanochannels. Fused silica nanofluidic devices fabricated by top-down methods are a promising approach to realizing this goal. Our group previously demonstrated the analysis of a living single cell using such a device, incorporating nanochannels having different sizes (102-103 nm) and with branched and confluent structures and surface patterning. However, fabrication of geometrically-controlled nanochannels on the 101 nm size scale by top-down methods on a fused silica substrate, and the fabrication of micro-nano interfaces on a single substrate, remain challenging. In the present study, the smallest-ever square nanochannels (with a size of 50 nm) were fabricated on fused silica substrates by optimizing the electron beam exposure time, and the absence of channel breaks was confirmed by streaming current measurements. In addition, micro-nano interfaces between 103 nm nanochannels and 101 μm microchannels were fabricated on a single substrate by controlling the hydrophobicity of the nanochannel surfaces. A micro-nano interface for a single cell analysis device, in which a nanochannel was connected to a 101 μm single cell chamber, was also fabricated. These new fabrication procedures are expected to advance the basic technologies employed in the field of nanofluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyojiro Morikawa
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.T.); (Y.P.)
| | - Yutaka Kazoe
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.T.); (Y.P.)
| | - Yuto Takagi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.T.); (Y.P.)
| | - Yoshiyuki Tsuyama
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan;
| | - Yuriy Pihosh
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.T.); (Y.P.)
| | - Takehiko Tsukahara
- Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Energy, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-N1-6, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan;
| | - Takehiko Kitamori
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; (Y.K.); (Y.T.); (Y.P.)
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan;
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15
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Song Y, Zhou T, Liu Q, Liu Z, Li D. Nanoparticle and microorganism detection with a side-micron-orifice-based resistive pulse sensor. Analyst 2020; 145:5466-5474. [PMID: 32578584 DOI: 10.1039/d0an00679c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents the detection of nanoparticles and microorganisms using a recently developed side-orifice-based resistive pulse sensor (SO-RPS). By decreasing the channel height of the detection section of the SO-RPS, the detection sensitivity was increased and an average signal to noise ratio (S/N) of about 3 was achieved for 100 nm polystyrene particles. It was also found that spherical particles generate symmetrical signals. Algae with irregular shapes generate signals with more complex patterns. A scatter plot of signal magnitude versus signal width was proven to be reliable for differentiating bacteria from the nanoparticles and two types of algae. The side orifice for detecting heterogeneous nanoparticles and microorganisms is advantageous to avoid orifice clogging and the large flow resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxin Song
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, 116026, China
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16
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Polyelectrolyte adsorption in single small nanochannel by layer-by-layer method. J Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 561:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.11.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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17
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Zhang Y, Zhou C, Qu C, Wei M, He X, Bai B. Fabrication and verification of a glass-silicon-glass micro-/nanofluidic model for investigating multi-phase flow in shale-like unconventional dual-porosity tight porous media. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:4071-4082. [PMID: 31702750 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00847k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Unconventional shale or tight oil/gas reservoirs that have micro-/nano-sized dual-scale matrix pore throats with micro-fractures may result in different fluid flow mechanisms compared with conventional oil/gas reservoirs. Microfluidic models, as a potential powerful tool, have been used for decades for investigating fluid flow at the pore-scale in the energy field. However, almost all microfluidic models were fabricated by using etching methods and very few had dual-scale micro-/nanofluidic channels. Herein, we developed a lab-based, quick-processing and cost-effective fabrication method using a lift-off process combined with the anodic bonding method, which avoids the use of any etching methods. A dual-porosity matrix/micro-fracture pattern, which can mimic the topology of shale with random irregular grain shapes, was designed with the Voronoi algorithm. The pore channel width range is 3 μm to 10 μm for matrices and 100-200 μm for micro-fractures. Silicon is used as the material evaporated and deposited onto a glass wafer and then bonded with another glass wafer. The channel depth is the same (250 nm) as the deposited silicon thickness. By using an advanced confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) system, we directly visualized the pore level flow within micro/nano dual-scale channels with fluorescent-dyed water and oil phases. We found a serious fingering phenomenon when water displaced oil in the conduits even if water has higher viscosity and the residual oil was distributed as different forms in the matrices, micro-fractures and conduits. We demonstrated that different matrix/micro-fracture/macro-fracture geometries would cause different flow patterns that affect the oil recovery consequently. Taking advantage of such a micro/nano dual-scale 'shale-like' microfluidic model fabricated by a much simpler and lower-cost method, studies on complex fluid flow behavior within shale or other tight heterogeneous porous media would be significantly beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yandong Zhang
- Department of Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401, USA.
| | - Chuanle Zhou
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401, USA
| | - Chuang Qu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Mingzhen Wei
- Department of Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401, USA.
| | - Xiaoming He
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401, USA
| | - Baojun Bai
- Department of Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401, USA.
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18
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Ha D, Seo S, Lee K, Kim T. Dynamic Transport Control of Colloidal Particles by Repeatable Active Switching of Solute Gradients. ACS NANO 2019; 13:12939-12948. [PMID: 31600045 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b05507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Diffusiophoresis (DP) is described as typically being divided into chemiphoresis (CP) and electrophoresis (EP), and the related theory is well-established. However, not only the individual effect of CP and EP but also the size dependency on the resulting DP of colloidal particles has not yet been comprehensively demonstrated in an experimental manner. In this paper, we present a dynamic transport control mechanism for colloidal particles by developing a micro-/nanofluidic DP platform (MNDP). We demonstrate that the MNDP can generate transient and/or steady-state concentration gradients, making it possible to control the direction and rate of transport of colloidal particles through the individual manipulation of CP and EP by simply and rapidly switching solutions. In addition, the MNDP allows the size-dependent separation as well as fractionation of submicron particles through the individual manipulation of CP and EP, thus empirically validating the classic theoretical model for DP under the influence of electrical double layer (EDL) thickness. Furthermore, we provide theoretical analysis and simulation results that will enable the development of a versatile separation and/or fractionation technique for various colloidal particles, including biosamples, according to their size or electrical feature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dogyeong Ha
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) , 50 UNIST-gil , Ulsan 44919 , Republic of Korea
| | - Sangjin Seo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) , 50 UNIST-gil , Ulsan 44919 , Republic of Korea
| | - Kyunghun Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) , 50 UNIST-gil , Ulsan 44919 , Republic of Korea
| | - Taesung Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) , 50 UNIST-gil , Ulsan 44919 , Republic of Korea
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19
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Li J, Li D. Electroosmotic flow velocity in DNA modified nanochannels. J Colloid Interface Sci 2019; 553:31-39. [PMID: 31181468 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Electroosmotic flow (EOF) is systematically investigated in DNA grafted hard PDMS (h-PDMS) channels with size ranging from 50 nm to 2.5 μm by using the current-slope method. The effects of the DNA types, the incubation time in the process of surface modification, and the pH value, ionic concentration of electrolyte solutions, and the UV (ultraviolet) illumination on the velocity of electroosmotic flow are experimentally studied. It is found that the DNA type and the incubation time of DNAs affect the grafting density and the surface charge on the channel walls, thus influencing the EOF velocity. In the DNA modified channels, the pH effects on EOF velocity become less prominent compared with that in the pristine channels. On the contrary, UV illumination can increase the EOF velocity significantly in the DNA modified channels, whereas takes unapparent effects on EOF velocity in the pristine channels. The effects of ionic concentration on EOF are also studied in this paper. It is observed that EOF velocity is dependent on the channel size when the ionic concentration is low even without overlapped electric double layer (EDL) and is essentially independent of the channel size when the ionic concentration is high. Furthermore, with high ionic concentration and thin EDL, the EOF velocity can be enhanced by the coated DNA brushes on the channel surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Dongqing Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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20
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Li J, Peng R, Li D. Effects of ion size, ion valence and pH of electrolyte solutions on EOF velocity in single nanochannels. Anal Chim Acta 2019; 1059:68-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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21
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Wang J, Yan Y, Geng Y, Gan Y, Fang Z. Fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane nanofluidic chips under AFM tip-based nanomilling process. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2019; 14:136. [PMID: 30997583 PMCID: PMC6470239 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-019-2962-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In current research realm, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based nanofluidic devices are widely used in medical, chemical, and biological applications. In the present paper, a novel nanomilling technique (consisting of an AFM system and a piezoelectric actuator) was proposed to fabricate nanochannels (with controllable sizes) on PDMS chips, and nanochannel size was controlled by the driving voltage and frequency inputted to the piezoelectric actuator. Moreover, microchannel and nanochannel molds were respectively fabricated by UV lithography and AFM tip-based nanomilling, and finally, PDMS slabs with micro/nanochannels were obtained by transfer process. The influences of PDMS weight ratio on nanochannel size were also investigated. The bonding process of microchannel and nanochannel slabs was conducted on a homemade alignment system consisted of an optical monocular microscope and precision stages. Furthermore, the effects of nanochannel size on electrical characteristics of KCl solution (concentration of 1 mM) were analyzed. Therefore, it can be concluded that PDMS nanofluidic devices with multiple nanochannels of sub-100-nm depth can be efficiently and economically fabricated by the proposed method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiqiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Micro-systems and Micro-structures Manufacturing of Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 Heilongjiang People’s Republic of China
- Center for Precision Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 Heilongjiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongda Yan
- Key Laboratory of Micro-systems and Micro-structures Manufacturing of Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 Heilongjiang People’s Republic of China
- Center for Precision Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 Heilongjiang People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanquan Geng
- Key Laboratory of Micro-systems and Micro-structures Manufacturing of Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 Heilongjiang People’s Republic of China
- Center for Precision Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 Heilongjiang People’s Republic of China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Gan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhuo Fang
- Center for Precision Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001 Heilongjiang People’s Republic of China
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22
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Han Z, Liu L, Zhang J, Han Q, Wang K, Song H, Wang Z, Jiao Z, Niu S, Ren L. High-performance flexible strain sensor with bio-inspired crack arrays. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:15178-15186. [PMID: 29892757 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr02514b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Biomimetic sensor technology is always superior to existing human technologies. The scorpion, especially the forest scorpion, has a unique ability to detect subtle vibrations, which is attributed to the microcrack-shaped slit sensillum on its legs. Here, the biological sensing mechanism of the typical scorpion (Heterometrus petersii) was intensively studied in order to newly design and significantly improve the flexible strain sensors. Benefiting from the easy-crack property of polystyrene (PS) and using the solvent-induced swelling as well as double template transferring method, regular and controllable microcrack arrays were successfully fabricated on top of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Using this method, any physical damage to PDMS could be effectively avoided. More fortunately, this bio-inspired crack arrays fabricated in this work also had a radial-like pattern similar to the slit sensillum of the scorpion, which was another unexpected imitation. The gauge factor (GF) of the sensor was conservatively evaluated at 5888.89 upon 2% strain and the response time was 297 ms. Afterward, it was demonstrated that the bio-inspired regular microcrack arrays could also significantly enhance the performance of traditional strain sensors, especially in terms of the sensitivity and response time. The practical applications, such as the detection of human motions and surface folding, were also tested in this work, with the results showing significant potential applications in numerous fields. This work changes the traditional waste cracks on some damaged products into valuable things for ultrasensitive mechanical sensors. Moreover, with this manufacturing technique, we could easily realize the simple, low cost and large-scale fabrication of advanced bioinpired sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwu Han
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 130022, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Peng R, Li D. Particle detection on microfluidic chips by differential resistive pulse sensing (RPS) method. Talanta 2018; 184:418-428. [PMID: 29674063 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The resistive pulse sensing (RPS) method has been widely used for characterization of particles, cells, and biomolecules due to its merits of high sensitivity and resolution. This paper investigates working parameters involved in detecting submicron and micron-sized particles by the differential RPS method on microfluidic chips. Effects of particle-to-sensor size ratio, ionic concentration and pH of the electrolyte solution, and applied electric field are studied systematically by using polystyrene particles with a size range from 140 nm to 5 µm. The results show that both the amplitude and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the RPS signals increase with the particle-to-sensor size ratio as well as the ionic concentration of the electrolyte media. The amplitude of the RPS signals also increases with increasing applied voltage, while the SNR experiences an upslope at low voltages and a decline under the condition of high voltages. pH has little effect on the background noise of the differential RPS signals but reduces the amplitude of the RPS signals at high pH. Grouping of RPS signals is considered to be caused by interactions between the sensor walls and the particles. Nanoparticle detection by the differential RPS method can be enhanced by optimizing these working parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Peng
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Dongqing Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1.
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24
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Zhao K, Li D. Direct current dielectrophoretic manipulation of the ionic liquid droplets in water. J Chromatogr A 2018; 1558:96-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2018.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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25
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Wang S, Liu Y, Ge P, Kan Q, Yu N, Wang J, Nan J, Ye S, Zhang J, Xu W, Yang B. Colloidal lithography-based fabrication of highly-ordered nanofluidic channels with an ultra-high surface-to-volume ratio. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:979-988. [PMID: 29485661 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc01326d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This article shows a new strategy for the fabrication of nanofluidics based on nanoscale gaps in nanopillar arrays. Silicon nanopillar arrays are prepared in a designed position by combining conventional photolithography with colloidal lithography. The nanogaps between the pillars are used as nanochannels for the connection of two polydimethylsiloxane-based microchannels in microfluidics. The gap between neighbouring nanopillars can be accurately controlled by changing the size of initial colloidal spheres and by an etching process, which further determines the dimensions of the nanochannels. At a low ionic strength, the surface charge-governed ion transportation shows that the nanochannels possess the same electrokinetic properties as typical nanofluidics. Benefiting from the advantage of photolithography, large-area nanochannel arrays can be prepared in a parallel manner. Due to the perm-selectivity of the nanochannels, the nanofluidic chips can be used to preconcentrate low concentration samples. The large-area ordered nanostructures preserve their high-throughput property and large surface-to-volume ratio, which shows their great potential in the development of nanofluidics and their applications, such as in the separation of small molecules, energy conversion, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P. R. China.
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26
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Xu Y. Nanofluidics: A New Arena for Materials Science. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:1702419. [PMID: 29094401 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201702419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A significant growth of research in nanofluidics is achieved over the past decade, but the field is still facing considerable challenges toward the transition from the current physics-centered stage to the next application-oriented stage. Many of these challenges are associated with materials science, so the field of nanofluidics offers great opportunities for materials scientists to exploit. In addition, the use of unusual effects and ultrasmall confined spaces of well-defined nanofluidic environments would offer new mechanisms and technologies to manipulate nanoscale objects as well as to synthesize novel nanomaterials in the liquid phase. Therefore, nanofluidics will be a new arena for materials science. In the past few years, burgeoning progress has been made toward this trend, as overviewed in this article, including materials and methods for fabricating nanofluidic devices, nanofluidics with functionalized surfaces and functional material components, as well as nanofluidics for manipulating nanoscale materials and fabricating new nanomaterials. Many critical challenges as well as fantastic opportunities in this arena lie ahead. Some of those, which are of particular interest, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-2, Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8570, Japan
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27
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Podpirka A, Lee WK, Ziegler JI, Brintlinger TH, Felts JR, Simpkins BS, Bassim ND, Laracuente AR, Sheehan PE, Ruppalt LB. Nanopatterning of GeTe phase change films via heated-probe lithography. NANOSCALE 2017. [PMID: 28627555 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr01482a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The crystallization of amorphous germanium telluride (GeTe) thin films is controlled with nanoscale resolution using the heat from a thermal AFM probe. The dramatic differences between the amorphous and crystalline GeTe phases yield embedded nanoscale features with strong topographic, electronic, and optical contrast. The flexibility of scanning probe lithography enables the width and depth of the features, as well as the extent of their crystallization, to be controlled by varying probe temperature and write speed. Together, these technologies suggest a new approach to nanoelectronic and opto-electronic device fabrication.
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28
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Song Y, Zhang J, Li D. Microfluidic and Nanofluidic Resistive Pulse Sensing: A Review. MICROMACHINES 2017; 8:E204. [PMID: 30400393 PMCID: PMC6190343 DOI: 10.3390/mi8070204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 06/11/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The resistive pulse sensing (RPS) method based on the Coulter principle is a powerful method for particle counting and sizing in electrolyte solutions. With the advancement of micro- and nano-fabrication technologies, microfluidic and nanofluidic resistive pulse sensing technologies and devices have been developed. Due to the unique advantages of microfluidics and nanofluidics, RPS sensors are enabled with more functions with greatly improved sensitivity and throughput and thus have wide applications in fields of biomedical research, clinical diagnosis, and so on. Firstly, this paper reviews some basic theories of particle sizing and counting. Emphasis is then given to the latest development of microfuidic and nanofluidic RPS technologies within the last 6 years, ranging from some new phenomena, methods of improving the sensitivity and throughput, and their applications, to some popular nanopore or nanochannel fabrication techniques. The future research directions and challenges on microfluidic and nanofluidic RPS are also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxin Song
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Junyan Zhang
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Dongqing Li
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
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29
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Peng R, Li D. Detection and sizing of nanoparticles and DNA on PDMS nanofluidic chips based on differential resistive pulse sensing. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:5964-5974. [PMID: 28440838 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr00488e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The RPS (Resistive Pulse Sensing) technique is a popular tool for the label-free detection of particles. This paper describes a simple, cost-effective PDMS nanofluidic chip for the detection and characterization of nanoparticles based on the differential RPS technique with high resolution and sensitivity. The chip is composed of two layers of PDMS slabs. Microchannel systems fabricated by the photolithography method on the top layer are used for sample loading and differential signal acquisition, and a straight nanochannel on the bottom layer fabricated by an unconventional approach bridging the gap between the microchannels works as an RPS sensing gate. A single-stage differential amplifier is used to amplify the RPS signals when particles or DNA pass through the sensing gate. It was demonstrated that this nanofluidic RPS chip can detect nanoparticles as small as 23 nm with a high SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio). The experimental results also show that the device is able to distinguish nanoparticles of smaller size differences such as 60 nm and 83 nm with high resolution, showing superior performance in comparison with the results obtained from DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering). This differential nano-RPS chip was also applied to detect the translocation of dsDNA molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Peng
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, CanadaN2L 3G1.
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