1
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Wang J, Guo Z, Fu F. Locomotion behavior of air bubbles on solid surfaces. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 332:103266. [PMID: 39153417 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2024.103266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Air bubbles are a common occurrence in both natural and industrial settings and are a significant topic in the fields of physics, chemistry, engineering, and medicine. The physical phenomena of the contact between bubbles and submerged solid surfaces, as well as the locomotion behavior of bubbles, are worth exploring. Bubbles are generated in an unbounded liquid environment and rise due to unbalanced external forces. Bubbles of different diameters follow different ascending paths, after which they approach, touch, collide, bounce, and finally adsorb to the solid surface, forming a stable three-phase contact line (TPCL). The bubbles are in an unstable state due to the unbalanced external forces on the solid surface and the effects generated by the two-phase contact surface, resulting in different locomotion behaviors on the solid surface. Studying the formation, transport, aggregation, and rupture behaviors of bubbles on solid surfaces can enable the controllable operation of bubbles. This, in turn, can effectively reduce the loss of mechanical apparatus in agro-industrial production activities and improve corresponding production efficiency. Recent research has shown that the degree of bubble wetting on a solid surface is a crucial factor in the locomotion behavior of bubbles on that surface. This has led to significant progress in the study of bubble wetting, which has in turn greatly advanced our understanding of bubble behavior. Based on this, exploring the manipulation process of the directional motion of bubbles is a promising research direction. The locomotion behavior of bubbles on solid surfaces can be controlled by changing external conditions, leading to the integration of bubble behavior in various scientific and technological fields. Studying the dynamics of bubbles in liquids with infinite boundaries is worthwhile. Additionally, the manipulation process and mode of these bubbles is a popular research direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China
| | - Zhiguang Guo
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feiyan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing 102205, China.
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2
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Wang Y, Li X, Meng H, Tao R, Qian J, Fu C, Luo J, Xie J, Fu Y. Acoustofluidic Diversity Achieved by Multiple Modes of Acoustic Waves Generated on Piezoelectric-Film-Coated Aluminum Sheets. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:45119-45130. [PMID: 39143893 PMCID: PMC11367575 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c06480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Excitation of multiple acoustic wave modes on a single chip is beneficial to implement diversified acoustofluidic functions. Conventional acoustic wave devices made of bulk LiNbO3 substrates generally generate few acoustic wave modes once the crystal-cut and electrode pattern are defined, limiting the realization of acoustofluidic diversity. In this paper, we demonstrated diversity of acoustofluidic behaviors using multiple modes of acoustic waves generated on piezoelectric-thin-film-coated aluminum sheets. Multiple acoustic wave modes were excited by varying the ratios between IDT pitch/wavelength and substrate thickness. Through systematic investigation of fluidic actuation behaviors and performances using these acoustic wave modes, we demonstrated fluidic actuation diversities using various acoustic wave modes and showed that the Rayleigh mode, pseudo-Rayleigh mode, and A0 mode of Lamb wave generally have better fluidic actuation performance than those of Sezawa mode and higher-order modes of Lamb wave, providing guidance for high-performance acoustofluidic actuation platform design. Additionally, we demonstrated diversified particle patterning functions, either on two sides of acoustic wave device or on a glass sheet by coupling acoustic waves into the glass using the gel. The pattern formation mechanisms were investigated through finite element simulations of acoustic pressure fields under different experimental configurations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Hangzhou City
University, Hangzhou 310015, China
- The
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- Faculty
of Engineering and Environment, University
of Northumbria, Newcastle upon
Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
| | - Xianbin Li
- Anhui
Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument,
School of Instrument Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Hui Meng
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Hangzhou City
University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Ran Tao
- Faculty
of Engineering and Environment, University
of Northumbria, Newcastle upon
Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
- Shenzhen
Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, College of
Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jingui Qian
- Anhui
Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument,
School of Instrument Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Chen Fu
- Shenzhen
Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, College of
Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jingting Luo
- Shenzhen
Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, College of
Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jin Xie
- The
State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Yongqing Fu
- Faculty
of Engineering and Environment, University
of Northumbria, Newcastle upon
Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
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3
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Yang Q, Huang W, Liu X, Sami R, Fan X, Dong Q, Luo J, Tao R, Fu C. Simple, and highly efficient edge-effect surface acoustic wave atomizer. ULTRASONICS 2024; 142:107359. [PMID: 38823151 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Conventional surface acoustic wave (SAW) atomizers require a direct water supply on the surface, which can be complex and cumbersome. This paper presents a novel SAW atomizer that uses lateral acoustic wetting to achieve atomization without a direct water supply. The device works by simply pressing a piece of wetted paper strip against the bottom of an excited piezoelectric transducer. The liquid then flows along the side to the unmodified surface edge, where it is atomized into a well-converging mist in a stable and sustainable manner. We identified this phenomenon as the edge effect, using numerical simulation results of surface displacement mode. The feasibility of the prototype design was demonstrated by observing and investigating the integrated process of liquid extraction, transport, and atomization. We further explored the hydrodynamic principles of the change and breakup in liquid film geometry under different input powers. Experiments demonstrate that our atomizer is capable of generating high-quality fine liquid particles stably and rapidly even at very high input power. Compared to conventional SAW atomizer, the dispersion of mist width can be scaled down by 70%, while the atomization rate can be increased by 37.5%. Combined with the advantages of easy installation and robustness, the edge effect-based atomizer offers an attractive alternative to current counterparts for applications requiring high efficiency and miniaturization, such as simultaneous synthesis and encapsulation of nanoparticles, pulmonary drug delivery and portable inhalation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qutong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Wenyi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xiaoyang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Ramadan Sami
- Imperial College London, Department of Materials, London, UK
| | - Xiaoming Fan
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Qi Dong
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jingting Luo
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Ran Tao
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Chen Fu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
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4
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Rich J, Cole B, Li T, Lu B, Fu H, Smith BN, Xia J, Yang S, Zhong R, Doherty JL, Kaneko K, Suzuki H, Tian Z, Franklin AD, Huang TJ. Aerosol jet printing of surface acoustic wave microfluidic devices. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2024; 10:2. [PMID: 38169478 PMCID: PMC10757899 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00606-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The addition of surface acoustic wave (SAW) technologies to microfluidics has greatly advanced lab-on-a-chip applications due to their unique and powerful attributes, including high-precision manipulation, versatility, integrability, biocompatibility, contactless nature, and rapid actuation. However, the development of SAW microfluidic devices is limited by complex and time-consuming micro/nanofabrication techniques and access to cleanroom facilities for multistep photolithography and vacuum-based processing. To simplify the fabrication of SAW microfluidic devices with customizable dimensions and functions, we utilized the additive manufacturing technique of aerosol jet printing. We successfully fabricated customized SAW microfluidic devices of varying materials, including silver nanowires, graphene, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). To characterize and compare the acoustic actuation performance of these aerosol jet printed SAW microfluidic devices with their cleanroom-fabricated counterparts, the wave displacements and resonant frequencies of the different fabricated devices were directly measured through scanning laser Doppler vibrometry. Finally, to exhibit the capability of the aerosol jet printed devices for lab-on-a-chip applications, we successfully conducted acoustic streaming and particle concentration experiments. Overall, we demonstrated a novel solution-based, direct-write, single-step, cleanroom-free additive manufacturing technique to rapidly develop SAW microfluidic devices that shows viability for applications in the fields of biology, chemistry, engineering, and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Rich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Brian Cole
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Teng Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Brandon Lu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Hanyu Fu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Brittany N. Smith
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Jianping Xia
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Shujie Yang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Ruoyu Zhong
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - James L. Doherty
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Kanji Kaneko
- Deptartment of Precision Mechanics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Tokyo, 112-8551 Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suzuki
- Deptartment of Precision Mechanics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Tokyo, 112-8551 Japan
| | - Zhenhua Tian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Aaron D. Franklin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
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5
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He Y, Yang S, Liu P, Li K, Jin K, Becker R, Zhang J, Lin C, Xia J, Ma Z, Ma Z, Zhong R, Lee LP, Huang TJ. Acoustofluidic Interfaces for the Mechanobiological Secretome of MSCs. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7639. [PMID: 37993431 PMCID: PMC10665559 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43239-6] [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: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
While mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gained enormous attention due to their unique properties of self-renewal, colony formation, and differentiation potential, the MSC secretome has become attractive due to its roles in immunomodulation, anti-inflammatory activity, angiogenesis, and anti-apoptosis. However, the precise stimulation and efficient production of the MSC secretome for therapeutic applications are challenging problems to solve. Here, we report on Acoustofluidic Interfaces for the Mechanobiological Secretome of MSCs: AIMS. We create an acoustofluidic mechanobiological environment to form reproducible three-dimensional MSC aggregates, which produce the MSC secretome with high efficiency. We confirm the increased MSC secretome is due to improved cell-cell interactions using AIMS: the key mediator N-cadherin was up-regulated while functional blocking of N-cadherin resulted in no enhancement of the secretome. After being primed by IFN-γ, the secretome profile of the MSC aggregates contains more anti-inflammatory cytokines and can be used to inhibit the pro-inflammatory response of M1 phenotype macrophages, suppress T cell activation, and support B cell functions. As such, the MSC secretome can be modified for personalized secretome-based therapies. AIMS acts as a powerful tool for improving the MSC secretome and precisely tuning the secretory profile to develop new treatments in translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye He
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Shujie Yang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Pengzhan Liu
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ke Li
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ke Jin
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ryan Becker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Jinxin Zhang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Chuanchuan Lin
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Irradiation Biology Laboratory, Xinqiao Hospital, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Jianping Xia
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Zhehan Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Zhiteng Ma
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ruoyu Zhong
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Luke P Lee
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Renal Division and Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea.
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
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6
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Kshetri KG, Nama N. Acoustophoresis around an elastic scatterer in a standing wave field. Phys Rev E 2023; 108:045102. [PMID: 37978594 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.108.045102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Acoustofluidic systems often employ prefabricated acoustic scatterers that perturb the imposed acoustic field to realize the acoustophoresis of immersed microparticles. We present a numerical study to investigate the time-averaged streaming and radiation force fields around a scatterer. Based on the streaming and radiation force field, we obtain the trajectories of the immersed microparticles with varying sizes and identify a critical transition size at which the motion of immersed microparticles in the vicinity of a prefabricated scatterer shifts from being streaming dominated to radiation dominated. We consider a range of acoustic frequencies to reveal that the critical transition size decreases with increasing frequency; this result explains the choice of acoustic frequencies in previously reported experimental studies. We also examine the impact of scatterer material and fluid properties on the streaming and radiation force fields, as well as on the critical transition size. Our results demonstrate that the critical transition size decreases with an increase in acoustic contrast factor: a nondimensional quantity that depends on material properties of the scatterer and the fluid. Our results provide a pathway to realize radiation force based manipulation of small particles by increasing the acoustic contrast factor of the scatterer, lowering the kinematic viscosity of the fluid, and increasing the acoustic frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khemraj Gautam Kshetri
- Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - Nitesh Nama
- Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
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7
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Jiang R, Yoo P, Sudarshana AM, Pelegri-O'Day E, Chhabra S, Mock M, Lee AP. Microfluidic viscometer by acoustic streaming transducers. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:2577-2585. [PMID: 37133350 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00101f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Measurement of fluid viscosity represents a huge need for many biomedical and materials processing applications. Sample fluids containing DNA, antibodies, protein-based drugs, and even cells have become important therapeutic options. The physical properties, including viscosity, of these biologics are critical factors in the optimization of the biomanufacturing processes and delivery of therapeutics to patients. Here we demonstrate an acoustic microstreaming platform termed as microfluidic viscometer by acoustic streaming transducers (μVAST) that induces fluid transport from second-order microstreaming to measure viscosity. Validation of our platform is achieved with different glycerol content mixtures to reflect different viscosities and shows that viscosity can be estimated based on the maximum speed of the second-order acoustic microstreaming. The μVAST platform requires only a small volume of fluid sample (∼1.2 μL), which is 16-30 times smaller than that of commercial viscometers. In addition, μVAST can be scaled up for ultra-high throughput measurements of viscosity. Here we demonstrate 16 samples within 3 seconds, which is an attractive feature for automating the process flows in drug development and materials manufacturing and production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Jiang
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Paul Yoo
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | | | - Emma Pelegri-O'Day
- Amgen Research, Biologics Therapeutic Discovery, 1 Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91320, USA
| | - Sandeep Chhabra
- Amgen Research, Biologics Therapeutic Discovery, 1 Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91320, USA
| | - Marissa Mock
- Amgen Research, Biologics Therapeutic Discovery, 1 Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91320, USA
| | - Abraham P Lee
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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8
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Fang W, Tao Z, Li H, Yin S, Xu T, Huang Y, Wong T. AC-electric-field-controlled multi-component droplet coalescence at microscale. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:2341-2355. [PMID: 37078784 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00086a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Droplet coalescence with fast response, high controllability and monodispersity has been widely investigated in industrial production and bioengineering. Especially for droplets with multiple components, programmable manipulation of such droplets is crucial for practical applications. However, precise control of the dynamics can be challenging, owing to the complex boundaries and the interfacial and fluidic properties. AC electric fields, with their fast response and high flexibility, have attracted our interest. We design and fabricate an improved flow-focusing microchannel configuration together with a non-contact type of electrode featuring asymmetric geometries, based on which we conduct systematic investigations of the AC-electric-field-controlled coalescence of multi-component droplets at the microscale. Parameters such as flow rates, component ratio, surface tension, electric permittivity and conductivity were given our attention. The results show that droplet coalescence in different flow parameters can be achieved in milliseconds by adjusting the electrical conditions, which shows high controllability. Specifically, both the coalescence region and reaction time can be adjusted by a combination of applied voltage and frequency, and unique merging phenomena have appeared. One is contact coalescence with the approach of paired droplets, while the other is squeezing coalescence, which occurs in the start position and promotes the merging process. The fluid properties, such as the electric permittivity, conductivity and surface tension, present a significant influence on merging behavior. The increasing relative dielectric constant leads to a dramatic reduction of the start merging voltage from the original 250 V to 30 V. The range of effective voltage for coalescence decreases with the addition of surfactant, offering a stricter and yet higher selectivity on electrical conditions, about 1500 V. The conductivity presents a negative correlation with the start merging voltage due to the reduction of the dielectric stress, from 400 V to 1500 V. Finally, we achieve the precise fabrication process of the Janus droplet via implementation of the proposed method, where the components of the droplets and the coalescence conditions are well controlled. Our results can serve as a potent methodology to decipher the physics of multi-component droplet electro-coalescence and contribute to applications in chemical synthesis, bioassay and material synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Fang
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Zhi Tao
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Haiwang Li
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Shuai Yin
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Tiantong Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Yi Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Aero-Engine Aero-Thermodynamics, Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Teckneng Wong
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore
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9
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Shen L, Tian Z, Zhang J, Zhu H, Yang K, Li T, Rich J, Upreti N, Hao N, Pei Z, Jin G, Yang S, Liang Y, Chaohui W, Huang TJ. Acousto-dielectric tweezers for size-insensitive manipulation and biophysical characterization of single cells. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 224:115061. [PMID: 36634509 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The intrinsic biophysical properties of cells, such as mechanical, acoustic, and electrical properties, are valuable indicators of a cell's function and state. However, traditional single-cell biophysical characterization methods are hindered by limited measurable properties, time-consuming procedures, and complex system setups. This study presents acousto-dielectric tweezers that leverage the balance between controllable acoustophoretic and dielectrophoretic forces applied on cells through surface acoustic waves and alternating current electric fields, respectively. Particularly, the balanced acoustophoretic and dielectrophoretic forces can trap cells at equilibrium positions independent of the cell size to differentiate between various cell-intrinsic mechanical, acoustic, and electrical properties. Experimental results show our mechanism has the potential for applications in single-cell analysis, size-insensitive cell separation, and cell phenotyping, which are all primarily based on cells' intrinsic biophysical properties. Our results also show the measured equilibrium position of a cell can inversely determine multiple biophysical properties, including membrane capacitance, cytoplasm conductivity, and acoustic contrast factor. With these features, our acousto-dielectric tweezing mechanism is a valuable addition to the resources available for biophysical property-based biological and medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Shen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; State Key Laboratory of Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
| | - Zhenhua Tian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - Jinxin Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Haodong Zhu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Kaichun Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Teng Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Joseph Rich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Neil Upreti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Nanjing Hao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Zhichao Pei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Geonsoo Jin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Shujie Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Yaosi Liang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Wang Chaohui
- State Key Laboratory of Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China.
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
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10
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Liu X, Zheng T, Wang C. Three-dimensional modeling and experimentation of microfluidic devices driven by surface acoustic wave. ULTRASONICS 2023; 129:106914. [PMID: 36577304 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2022.106914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology is proving to be an effective tool for manipulating micro-nano particles. In this paper, we present a fully-coupled 3D model of standing SAW acoustofluidic devices for obtaining particle motion. The "improved limiting velocity method" (ILVM) was used to investigate the distribution of acoustic pressure and acoustic streaming in microchannel. The results show that the distribution of acoustic pressure and acoustic streaming on the piezoelectric substrate surface perpendicular to the acoustic wave propagation direction is inhomogeneous. The motion of micro-particles with diameters of 0.5-, 5-, and 10 μm is then simulated to investigate the interaction of acoustic radiation force and drag force caused by pressure and acoustic streaming. We demonstrate that micro and nanoparticles can move in three dimensions when acoustic radiation force and acoustic streaming interact. This result and method are critical for designing SAW microfluidic chips and controlling particle motion precisely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China; Shaanxi Key Lab of Intelligent Robots, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Tengfei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China; Shaanxi Key Lab of Intelligent Robots, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China; Shaanxi Key Lab of Intelligent Robots, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Liu L, Zhou J, Tan K, Zhang H, Yang X, Duan H, Fu Y. A simplified three-dimensional numerical simulation approach for surface acoustic wave tweezers. ULTRASONICS 2022; 125:106797. [PMID: 35780714 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2022.106797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Standing surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) have been extensively used as acoustic tweezers to manipulate, transport, and separate microparticles and biological cells in a microscale fluidic environment, with great potentials for biomedical sensing, genetic analysis, and therapeutics applications. Currently, there lacks an accurate, reliable, and efficient three-dimensional (3D) modeling platform to simulate behaviors of micron-size particles/cells in acoustofluidics, which is crucial to provide the guidance for the experimental studies. The major challenge for achieving this is the computational complexity of 3D modeling. Herein, a simplified but effective 3D SSAW microfluidic model was developed to investigate the separation and manipulation of particles. This model incorporates propagation attenuation of the surface waves to increase the modeling accuracy, while simplifies the modeling of piezoelectric substrates and the wall of microchannel by determining the effective propagation region of the substrate. We have simulated the SSAWs microfluidics device, and systematically analyzed effects of voltage, tilt angle, and flow rate on the separation of the particles under the SSAWs. The obtained simulation results are compared with those obtained from the experimental studies, showing good agreements. This simplified modeling platform could become a convenient tool for acoustofluidic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhu Liu
- College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China.
| | - Kaitao Tan
- College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory of Robot Visual Perception and Control Technology, School of Robotics, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA, United Kingdom
| | - Huigao Duan
- College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - YongQing Fu
- Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
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12
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Sun C, Dong Y, Wei J, Cai M, Liang D, Fu Y, Zhou Y, Sui Y, Wu F, Mikhaylov R, Wang H, Fan F, Xie Z, Stringer M, Yang Z, Wu Z, Tian L, Yang X. Acoustically Accelerated Neural Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Acta Biomater 2022; 151:333-345. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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13
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Sachs S, Baloochi M, Cierpka C, König J. On the acoustically induced fluid flow in particle separation systems employing standing surface acoustic waves - Part I. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:2011-2027. [PMID: 35482303 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01113h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
By integrating surface acoustic waves (SAW) into microfluidic devices, microparticle systems can be fractionated precisely in flexible and easily scalable Lab-on-a-Chip platforms. The widely adopted driving mechanism behind this principle is the acoustic radiation force, which depends on the size and acoustic properties of the suspended particles. Superimposed fluid motion caused by the acoustic streaming effect can further manipulate particle trajectories and might have a negative influence on the fractionation result. A characterization of the crucial parameters that affect the pattern and scaling of the acoustically induced flow is thus essential for the design of acoustofluidic separation systems. For the first time, the fluid flow induced by pseudo-standing acoustic wave fields with a wavelength much smaller than the width of the confined microchannel is experimentally revealed in detail, using quantitative three-dimensional measurements of all three velocity components (3D3C). In Part I of this study, we focus on the fluid flow close to the center of the surface acoustic wave field, while in Part II the outer regions with strong acoustic gradients are investigated. By systematic variations of the SAW-wavelength λSAW and channel height H, a transition from vortex pairs extending over the entire channel width W to periodic flows resembling the pseudo-standing wave field is revealed. An adaptation of the electrical power, however, only affects the velocity scaling. Based on the experimental data, a validated numerical model was developed in which critical material parameters and boundary conditions were systematically adjusted. Considering a Navier slip length at the substrate-fluid interface, the simulations provide a strong agreement with the measured velocity data over a large frequency range and enable an energetic consideration of the first and second-order fields. Based on the results of this study, critical parameters were identified for the particle size as well as for channel height and width. Progress for the research on SAW-based separation systems is obtained not only by these findings but also by providing all experimental velocity data to allow for further developments on other sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Sachs
- Institute of Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany.
| | - Mostafa Baloochi
- Institute of Micro- and Nanotechnologies, Technische Universität Ilmenau, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Christian Cierpka
- Institute of Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany.
- Institute of Micro- and Nanotechnologies, Technische Universität Ilmenau, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Jörg König
- Institute of Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany.
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14
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Dezfuli MR, Shahidian A, Ghassemi M. Quantitative assessment of parallel acoustofluidic device. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:233. [PMID: 34340481 DOI: 10.1121/10.0005519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The advantage of ultrasonic fields in harmless and label-free applications intrigued researchers to develop this technology. The capability of acoustofluidic technology for medical applications has not been thoroughly analyzed and visualized. Toward efficient design, in this research, flowing fluid in a microchannel excited by acoustic waves is fully investigated. To study the behavior of acoustic streaming, the main interfering parameters such as inlet velocity, working frequency, displacement amplitude, fluid buffer material, and hybrid effect in a rectangular water-filled microchannel actuated by standing surface acoustic waves are studied. Governing equations for acoustic field and laminar flow are derived employing perturbation theory. For each set of equations, appropriate boundary conditions are applied. Results demonstrate a parallel device is capable of increasing the inlet flow for rapid operations. Frequency increment raises the acoustic streaming velocity magnitude. Displacement amplitude amplification increases the acoustic streaming velocity and helps the streaming flow dominate over the incoming flow. The qualitative analysis of the hybrid effect shows using hard walls can significantly increase the streaming power without depleting excessive energy. A combination of several effective parameters provides an energy-efficient and fully controllable device for biomedical applications such as fluid mixing and cell lysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Azadeh Shahidian
- Mechanical Engineering Department, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Ghassemi
- Mechanical Engineering Department, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
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15
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3D numerical simulation of acoustophoretic motion induced by boundary-driven acoustic streaming in standing surface acoustic wave microfluidics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13326. [PMID: 34172758 PMCID: PMC8233446 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90825-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Standing surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) have been widely utilized in microfluidic devices to manipulate various cells and micro/nano-objects. Despite widespread application, a time-/cost-efficient versatile 3D model that predicts particle behavior in such platforms is still lacking. Herein, a fully-coupled 3D numerical simulation of boundary-driven acoustic streaming in the acoustofluidic devices utilizing SSAWs has been conducted based on the limiting velocity finite element method. Through this efficient computational method, the underlying physical interplay from the electromechanical fields of the piezoelectric substrate to different acoustofluidic effects (acoustic radiation force and streaming-induced drag force), fluid–solid interactions, the 3D influence of novel on-chip configuration like tilted-angle SSAW (taSSAW) based devices, required boundary conditions, meshing technique, and demanding computational cost, are discussed. As an experimental validation, a taSSAW platform fabricated on YX 128 \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$^\circ $$\end{document}∘ LiNbO3 substrate for separating polystyrene beads is simulated, which demonstrates acceptable agreement with reported experimental observations. Subsequently, as an application of the presented 3D model, a novel sheathless taSSAW cell/particle separator is conceptualized and designed. The presented 3D fully-coupled model could be considered a powerful tool in further designing and optimizing SSAW microfluidics due to the more time-/cost-efficient performance than precedented 3D models, the capability to model complex on-chip configurations, and overcome shortcomings and limitations of 2D simulations.
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16
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Nguyen TD, Tran VT, Du H. Manipulation of self-assembled three-dimensional architecture in reusable acoustofluidic device. Electrophoresis 2021; 42:2375-2382. [PMID: 33765330 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Reconstructing of cell architecture plays a vital role in tissue engineering. Recent developments of self-assembling of cells into three-dimensional (3D) matrix pattern using surface acoustic waves have paved a way for a better tissue engineering platform thanks to its unique properties such as nature of noninvasive and noncontact, high biocompatibility, low-power consumption, automation capability, and fast actuation. This article discloses a method to manipulate the orientation and curvature of 3D matrix pattern by redesigning the top wall of microfluidic chamber and the technique to create a 3D longitudinal pattern along preinserted polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) rods. Experimental results showed a good agreement with model predictions. This research can actively contribute to the development of better organs-on-chips platforms with capability of controlling cell architecture and density. Meanwhile, the 3D longitudinal pattern is suitable for self-assembling of microvasculatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan Dai Nguyen
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang, Singapore
| | - Van-Thai Tran
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang, Singapore
| | - Hejun Du
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang, Singapore
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17
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Sun C, Wu F, Fu Y, Wallis DJ, Mikhaylov R, Yuan F, Liang D, Xie Z, Wang H, Tao R, Shen MH, Yang J, Xun W, Wu Z, Yang Z, Cang H, Yang X. Thin film Gallium nitride (GaN) based acoustofluidic Tweezer: Modelling and microparticle manipulation. ULTRASONICS 2020; 108:106202. [PMID: 32535411 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2020.106202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gallium nitride (GaN) is a compound semiconductor which shows advantages in new functionalities and applications due to its piezoelectric, optoelectronic, and piezo-resistive properties. This study develops a thin film GaN-based acoustic tweezer (GaNAT) using surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and demonstrates its acoustofluidic ability to pattern and manipulate microparticles. Although the piezoelectric performance of the GaNAT is compromised compared with conventional lithium niobate-based SAW devices, the inherited properties of GaN allow higher input powers and superior thermal stability. This study shows for the first time that thin film GaN is suitable for the fabrication of the acoustofluidic devices to manipulate microparticles with excellent performance. Numerical modelling of the acoustic pressure fields and the trajectories of mixtures of microparticles driven by the GaNAT was performed and the results were verified from the experimental studies using samples of polystyrene microspheres. The work has proved the robustness of thin film GaN as a candidate material to develop high-power acoustic tweezers, with the potential of monolithical integration with electronics to offer diverse microsystem applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072, PR China; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, CF24 3AA, UK.
| | - Fangda Wu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, CF24 3AA, UK
| | - Yongqing Fu
- Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - David J Wallis
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, CF24 3AA, UK; Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK
| | - Roman Mikhaylov
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, CF24 3AA, UK
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Duke University, NC 27708-0281, USA
| | - Dongfang Liang
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Zhihua Xie
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, CF24, UK
| | - Hanlin Wang
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, CF24 3AA, UK
| | - Ran Tao
- Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Ming Hong Shen
- Preclinical Studies of Renal Tumours Group, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Jian Yang
- Preclinical Studies of Renal Tumours Group, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Wenpeng Xun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072, PR China
| | - Zhenlin Wu
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, 116023, PR China
| | - Zhiyong Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, 300072, PR China
| | - Huaixing Cang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072, PR China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, CF24 3AA, UK.
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18
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Thurgood P, Suarez SA, Pirogova E, Jex AR, Peter K, Baratchi S, Khoshmanesh K. Tunable Harmonic Flow Patterns in Microfluidic Systems through Simple Tube Oscillation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2003612. [PMID: 33006247 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202003612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Generation of tunable harmonic flows at low cost in microfluidic systems is a persistent and significant obstacle to this field, substantially limiting its potential to address major scientific questions and applications. This work introduces a simple and elegant way to overcome this obstacle. Harmonic flow patterns can be generated in microfluidic structures by simply oscillating the inlet tubes. Complex rib and vortex patterns can be dynamically modulated by changing the frequency and magnitude of tube oscillation and the viscosity of liquid. Highly complex rib patterns and synchronous vortices can be generated in serially connected microfluidic chambers. Similar dynamic patterns can be generated using whole or diluted blood samples without damaging the sample. This method offers unique opportunities for studying complex fluids and soft materials, chemical synthesis of various compounds, and mimicking harmonic flows in biological systems using compact, tunable, and low-cost devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Thurgood
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | | | - Elena Pirogova
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Aaron R Jex
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia and Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Karlheinz Peter
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Sara Baratchi
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
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19
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Liu P, Tian Z, Hao N, Bachman H, Zhang P, Hu J, Huang TJ. Acoustofluidic multi-well plates for enrichment of micro/nano particles and cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:3399-3409. [PMID: 32779677 PMCID: PMC7494569 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00378f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Controllable enrichment of micro/nanoscale objects plays a significant role in many biomedical and biochemical applications, such as increasing the detection sensitivity of assays, or improving the structures of bio-engineered tissues. However, few techniques can perform concentrations of micro/nano objects in multi-well plates, a very common laboratory vessel. In this work, we develop an acoustofluidic multi-well plate, which adopts an array of simple, low-cost and commercially available ring-shaped piezoelectric transducers for rapid and robust enrichment of micro/nanoscale particles/cells in each well of the plate. The enrichment mechanism is validated and characterized through both numerical simulations and experiments. We observe that the ring-shaped piezoelectric transducer can generate circular standing flexural waves in the substrate of each well, and that the vibrations can induce acoustic streaming near the interface between the substrate and a fluid droplet placed within the well; this streaming can drive micro/nanoscale objects to the center of the droplet for enrichment. Moreover, the acoustofluidic multi-well plate can realize simultaneous and consistent enrichment of biological cells in each well of the plate. With merits such as simplicity, controllability, low cost, and excellent compatibility with other downstream analysis tools, the developed acoustofluidic multi-well plate could be a versatile tool for many applications such as micro/nano fabrication, self-assembly, biomedical/biochemical sensing, and tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhan Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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20
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Liu P, Tang Q, Su S, Hu J, Yu Y. Modeling and Analysis of the Two-Dimensional Axisymmetric Acoustofluidic Fields in the Probe-Type and Substrate-Type Ultrasonic Micro/Nano Manipulation Systems. MICROMACHINES 2019; 11:E22. [PMID: 31878198 PMCID: PMC7019555 DOI: 10.3390/mi11010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The probe-type and substrate-type ultrasonic micro/nano manipulation systems have proven to be two kinds of powerful tools for manipulating micro/nanoscale materials. Numerical simulations of acoustofluidic fields in these two kinds of systems can not only be used to explain and analyze the physical mechanisms of experimental phenomena, but also provide guidelines for optimization of device parameters and working conditions. However, in-depth quantitative study and analysis of acoustofluidic fields in the two ultrasonic micro/nano manipulation systems have scarcely been reported. In this paper, based on the finite element method (FEM), we numerically investigated the two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric acoustofluidic fields in the probe-type and substrate-type ultrasonic micro/nano manipulation systems by the perturbation method (PM) and Reynolds stress method (RSM), respectively. Through comparing the simulation results computed by the two methods and the experimental verifications, the feasibility and reasonability of the two methods in simulating the acoustofluidic fields in these two ultrasonic micro/nano manipulation systems have been validated. Moreover, the effects of device parameters and working conditions on the acoustofluidic fields are clarified by the simulation results and qualitatively verified by the experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhan Liu
- State Key Lab of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Qiang Tang
- Faculty of Mechanical and Material Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian 223003, China;
| | - Songfei Su
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing Institute of Technology, Nanjing 211167, China;
| | - Jie Hu
- School of Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China;
| | - Yang Yu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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21
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Zhang P, Chen C, Guo F, Philippe J, Gu Y, Tian Z, Bachman H, Ren L, Yang S, Zhong Z, Huang PH, Katsanis N, Chakrabarty K, Huang TJ. Contactless, programmable acoustofluidic manipulation of objects on water. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:3397-3404. [PMID: 31508644 PMCID: PMC6934417 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00465c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Contact-free manipulation of small objects (e.g., cells, tissues, and droplets) using acoustic waves eliminates physical contact with structures and undesired surface adsorption. Pioneering acoustic-based, contact-free manipulation techniques (e.g., acoustic levitation) enable programmable manipulation but are limited by evaporation, bulky transducers, and inefficient acoustic coupling in air. Herein, we report an acoustofluidic mechanism for the contactless manipulation of small objects on water. A hollow-square-shaped interdigital transducer (IDT) is fabricated on lithium niobate (LiNbO3), immersed in water and used as a sound source to generate acoustic waves and as a micropump to pump fluid in the ±x and ±y orthogonal directions. As a result, objects which float adjacent to the excited IDT can be pushed unidirectionally (horizontally) in ±x and ±y following the directed acoustic wave propagation. A fluidic processor was developed by patterning IDT units in a 6-by-6 array. We demonstrate contactless, programmable manipulation on water of oil droplets and zebrafish larvae. This acoustofluidic-based manipulation opens avenues for the contactless, programmable processing of materials and small biosamples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiran Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, NC 27708, USA.
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22
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Ni Z, Yin C, Xu G, Xie L, Huang J, Liu S, Tu J, Guo X, Zhang D. Modelling of SAW-PDMS acoustofluidics: physical fields and particle motions influenced by different descriptions of the PDMS domain. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:2728-2740. [PMID: 31292597 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00431a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In modelling acoustofluidic chips actuated by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and using polydimethylsilane (PDMS) as a channel material, reduced models are often adopted to describe the acoustic behaviors of PDMS. Here, based on a standing SAW (SSAW) acoustophoresis chip, we compared three different descriptions of a PDMS chamber and looked into in-chamber physical fields and ensuing particle motion processes through finite element (FE) simulations. Specifically, the PDMS domain was considered as an elastic solid material, a non-flow fluid, and a lossy wall, respectively. The major findings include: (a) the shear waves that propagated in a solid PDMS wall did not influence the in-chamber pressure and ARF fields severely, but induced an observable difference in the acoustic streaming (AS) patterns, and distinctly changed the trajectories of polystyrene particles, especially those whose radii were below 1.5 μm; and (b) the equivalent damping coefficients were linearly dependent on the SAW frequency, characterized by a fixed loss per wavelength, indicating the wave leakage at the interface being the main source of the transmission loss of SAWs. Meanwhile, the acoustic radiation force (ARF) can be overestimated when describing PDMS as a lossy wall, especially at the bottom corners of the chamber, which could cause inaccurate predictions of the motion of big particles. Based on the damping mechanism, a rough protocol is provided for scaling of pressure fields between different models. Some suggestions for device designs and operations are also given based on the obtained findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyang Ni
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Chuhao Yin
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Guangyao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Linzhou Xie
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Junjie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Shilei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Juan Tu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Xiasheng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Dong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China. and The State Key Laboratory of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 10080, China
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23
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Swyer I, Fobel R, Wheeler AR. Velocity Saturation in Digital Microfluidics. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:5342-5352. [PMID: 30958677 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In digital microfluidics, discrete droplets of fluid are made to move on an open surface with no microchannels. These systems are commonly operated by application of electrical driving forces to an array of electrodes. While these driving forces are well characterized, the dissipative forces opposing droplet movement have not been as thoroughly examined. In recognition of this deficit, we used force-velocity plots to characterize droplet movement in digital microfluidics, which was found to be consistent with a simple theoretical framework for understanding dissipation effects for droplets in two-plate, air-filled devices. Interestingly, in some conditions, a previously unreported ″velocity saturation″ effect was observed. When examined across a range of different liquids, the forces at which this saturation occurs seem to be lower for liquids with smaller surface tensions. Furthermore, when driven at forces that cause saturation, physical phenomena are observed that are akin to what has been reported for stationary droplets in the electrowetting literature. These phenomena are detrimental to device performance, leading to a new "force window" approach that delineates the optimum operation conditions for different liquids. We propose that these findings may be useful for a wide range of applications for experts and new users alike in this growing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Swyer
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , 80 St. George Street , Toronto , ON M5S 3H6 , Canada
| | - Ryan Fobel
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research , University of Toronto , 160 College Street , Toronto , ON M5S 3E1 , Canada
| | - Aaron R Wheeler
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , 80 St. George Street , Toronto , ON M5S 3H6 , Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research , University of Toronto , 160 College Street , Toronto , ON M5S 3E1 , Canada
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering , University of Toronto , 164 College Street , Toronto , ON M5S 3G9 , Canada
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24
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Wu M, Chen C, Wang Z, Bachman H, Ouyang Y, Huang PH, Sadovsky Y, Huang TJ. Separating extracellular vesicles and lipoproteins via acoustofluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:1174-1182. [PMID: 30806400 PMCID: PMC6453118 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc01134f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and lipoproteins are abundant and co-exist in blood. Both have been proven to be valuable as diagnostic biomarkers and for therapeutics. However, EVs and lipoproteins are both on the submicron scale and overlap in size distributions. Conventional methods to separate EVs and lipoproteins are inefficient and time-consuming. Here we present an acoustofluidic-based separation technique that is based on the acoustic property differences of EVs and lipoproteins. By using the acoustofluidic technology, EVs and subgroups of lipoproteins are separated in a label-free, contact-free, and continuous manner. With its ability for simple, rapid, efficient, continuous-flow isolation, our acoustofluidic technology could be a valuable tool for health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxi Wu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27707, USA.
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25
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Ahmadi F, Samlali K, Vo PQN, Shih SCC. An integrated droplet-digital microfluidic system for on-demand droplet creation, mixing, incubation, and sorting. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:524-535. [PMID: 30633267 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc01170b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics is a technique that has the ability to compartmentalize reactions in sub nano- (or pico-) liter volumes that can potentially enable millions of distinct biological assays to be performed on individual cells. In a typical droplet microfluidic system, droplets are manipulated by pressure-based flows. This has limited the fluidic operations that can be performed in these devices. Digital microfluidics is an alternative microfluidic paradigm with precise control and manipulation over individual droplets. Here, we implement an integrated droplet-digital microfluidic (which we call 'ID2M') system in which common fluidic operations (i.e. droplet generation, cell encapsulation, droplet merging and mixing, droplet trapping and incubation, and droplet sorting) can be performed. With the addition of electrodes, we have been able to create droplets on-demand, tune their volumes on-demand, and merge and mix several droplets to produce a dilution series. Moreover, this device can trap and incubate droplets for 24 h that can consequently be sorted and analyzed in multiple n-ary channels (as opposed to typical binary channels). The ID2M platform has been validated as a robust on-demand screening system by sorting fluorescein droplets of different concentration with an efficiency of ∼96%. The utility of the new system is further demonstrated by culturing and sorting tolerant yeast mutants and wild-type yeast cells in ionic liquid based on their growth profiles. This new platform for both droplet and digital microfluidics has the potential to be used for screening different conditions on-chip and for applications like directed evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Ahmadi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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