Biomedical subjects

Arjun P Sudarsan

Publications and source records attributed to Arjun P Sudarsan.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Multivortex micromixing.

The ability to mix liquids in microchannel networks is fundamentally important in the design of nearly every miniaturized chemical and biochemical analysis system. Here, we show that enhanced micromixing can be achieved in topologically simple and easily fabricated planar 2D microchannels by simply introducing curvature and changes in width in a prescribed manner. This goal is accomplished by harnessing a synergistic combination of (i) Dean vortices that arise in the vertical plane of curved channels as a consequence of an interplay between inertial, centrifugal, and viscous effects, and (ii) expansion vortices that arise in the horizontal plane due to an abrupt increase in a conduit's cross-sectional area. We characterize these effects by using confocal microscopy of aqueous fluorescent dye streams and by observing binding interactions between an intercalating dye and double-stranded DNA. These mixing approaches are versatile and scalable and can be straightforwardly integrated as generic components in a variety of lab-on-a-chip systems.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Fluid mixing in planar spiral microchannels.

Mixing of fluids at the microscale poses a variety of challenges, many of which arise from the fact that molecular diffusion is the dominant transport mechanism in the laminar flow regime. While considerable progress has been made toward developing strategies to achieve improved mixing in microfluidic systems, many of these techniques introduce additional complexity to device fabrication and/or operation processes. In this work, we explore the use of compact spiral-shaped flow geometries designed to achieve efficient mixing in a format that can be constructed using a single planar soft lithography step without the need for multilayer alignment. A series of 150 microm-wide by 29 microm-tall channels were constructed, each of which incorporated a series of spiral shaped sections arrayed along the flow path. Five spiral designs with varying channel lengths were investigated, and mixing studies were carried out at flow rates corresponding to Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.02 to 18.6. Under appropriate conditions, transverse Dean flows are induced that augment diffusive transport and promote enhanced mixing in considerably shorter downstream distances as compared with conventional planar straight channel designs. Mixing efficiency can be further enhanced by incorporating expansion vortex effects via abrupt changes in cross-sectional area along the flow path.

Equipment Design↗

PubMed2005

Thermoplastic elastomer gels: an advanced substrate for microfluidic chemical analysis systems.

We demonstrate the use of thermoplastic elastomer gels as advanced substrates for construction of complex microfluidic networks suitable for use in miniaturized chemical analysis systems. These gels are synthesized by combining inexpensive polystyrene-(polyethylene/polybutylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymers with a hydrocarbon extender oil for which the ethylene/butylene midblocks are selectively miscible. The insoluble styrene end blocks phase separate into localized nanodomains, resulting in the formation of an optically transparent, viscoelastic, and biocompatible gel network that is melt-processable at temperatures in the vicinity of 100 degrees C. This unique combination of properties allows microfluidic channels to be fabricated in a matter of minutes by simply making impressions of the negative relief structures on heated master molds. Melt processability allows multiple impressions to be made against different masters to construct complex geometries incorporating multi-height features within the same microchannel. Intricate interconnected multilayered structures are also easily fabricated owing to the ability to bond and seal multiple layers by briefly heating the material at the bond interface. Thermal and mechanical properties are tunable over a wide range through proper selection of gel composition.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2004

Printed circuit technology for fabrication of plastic-based microfluidic devices.

One of the primary advantages of using plastic-based substrates for microfluidic systems is the ease with which devices can be fabricated with minimal dependence on specialized laboratory equipment. These devices are often produced using soft lithography techniques to cast replicas of a rigid mold or master incorporating a negative image of the desired surface structures. Conventional photolithographic micromachining processes are typically used to construct these masters in either thick photoresist, etched silicon, or etched glass substrates. The speed at which new masters can be produced using these techniques, however, can be relatively slow and often limits the rate at which new device designs can be built and tested. In this paper, we show that inexpensive photosensitized copper clad circuit board substrates can be employed to produce master molds using conventional printed circuit technology. This process offers the benefits of parallel fabrication associated with photolithography without the need for cleanroom facilities, thereby providing a degree of speed and simplicity that allows microfluidic master molds with well-defined and reproducible structural features to be constructed in approximately 30 min in any laboratory. Precise control of channel heights ranging from 15 to 120 microm can be easily achieved through selection of the appropriate copper layer thickness, and channel widths as small as 50 microm can be reproducibly obtained. We use these masters to produce a variety of plastic-based microfluidic channel networks and demonstrate their suitability for DNA electrophoresis and microfluidic mixing studies.

DNA↗