Electroosmotic guiding of sample flows in a laminar flow chamber

Electrophoresis. 2004 Nov;25(21-22):3705-11. doi: 10.1002/elps.200406033.

Abstract

The so-called address-flow principle is described: a valveless, electroosmotically driven technology used for controlling the stream profile in a laminar flow chamber. The method is explained, and a theoretical description and experimental verification are presented. Adjustment of the flow of two electroosmotically controlled guiding streams, running parallel to a central sample stream, can be used for positioning the sample stream in the dimension perpendicular to the flow direction. The results presented show that address-flow microfluidics allow easy and accurate control of sample stream position and width. The electroosmotic flow (EOF)-controlled guiding of microfluidic flows described in this paper, is a new unit operation that might aid in separation and collection in microfluidic devices. One possible application of address-flow microfluidics is guiding of capillary electrophoresis-separated components over a multisensor array, in order to perform affinity assays.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Computer Simulation
  • Equipment Design
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
  • Microfluidics / instrumentation
  • Microfluidics / methods*
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Proteins / analysis
  • Rheology
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / analysis

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine