What can you do with microfluidics?
Microfluidics allows for handling of liquid with volumes typically in the range of nano- to microliters (10− 9 to 10− 6 L) or smaller. Microfluidics is key to advancing molecular sensors based on bioassays including immunoassay, cell separation, and DNA amplification and analysis, among many other examples.
What is the meaning of microfluidics?
Definition of microfluidics Microfluidics is both the science which studies the behaviour of fluids through micro-channels, and the technology of manufacturing microminiaturized devices containing chambers and tunnels through which fluids flow or are confined.
What is the point of microfluidics?
Microfluidic technology enables detection and fluid regulation in one single component; increased sensitivity and specificity to detect target analytes at small volumes overcomes several challenges encountered while using traditional POCT diagnostics (Pandey et al., 2018).
How does digital microfluidics work?
Digital microfluidics harnesses electrowetting to control droplets. Electrical signals are applied to an array of electrodes to define the size and position of each droplet. Droplets are moved by turning the voltage on and off in succession across adjacent electrodes.
Which of the following is known as digital microfluidics?
Droplet microfluidics
Droplet microfluidics, referred to as digital microfluidics, involves the generation and manipulation of discrete volumes of fluids inside microdevices. In contrast to continuous flow devices, droplet microfluidics relies on creating discrete volumes by means of immiscible phases.
Who discovered microfluidics?
Frederick Stanley Kipping, the British chemist considered the father of silicon chemistry. The first microfluidic devices were usually made of silicon and glass since the fabrication techniques derived from microelectronics were well known [3].
What is microfluidics and nanofluidics?
Microfluidics and Nanofluidics is an international peer reviewed journal exploring all aspects of microfluidics, nanofluidics, and lab-on-a-chip science and technology.
Why do scientists conduct research in microfluidics?
The cost reduction and production time decrease of these devices allowed a large number of laboratories to conduct research in microfluidics. Today, thousands of researchers are working in microfluidics to extend its application fields, especially towards biology, chemistry and the biomedical field.
What are the applications of microfluidic chips in different fields?
In the biomedical field, with laboratories on a chip because they allow the integration of many medical tests on a single chip. In cell biology research, because micro-channels have the same characteristic size as biological cells. Thus, microfluidic chips allow easy manipulations of single cells and rapid drug changes.
How is a microfluidic device made?
The fabrication of a microfluidic device starts with the design of microfluidic channels with a dedicated software (AUTOCAD, Illustrator, LEDIT…). Once this design is made, it is transferred on a photomask: chrome coated glass plates or plastic films for the most common templates.