Micro-Fluidic Particle Concentrator and Filtering Device

Abstract

A crossflow microfluidic particle concentrator including a main channel having an inlet and an outlet a crossflow outlet operably connectable with pressure means and/or flow control means, a plurality of crossflow channels fluidically connecting the crossflow outlet with the main channel a filtering element including a particle flow channel within the main channel, and a row of crossflow pillars disposed between the filtering element and the plurality of crossflow channels.

1 . A crossflow microfluidic particle concentrator comprising:
 a main channel having an inlet and an outlet;   a crossflow outlet operably connectable with pressure means and/or flow control means;   a plurality of crossflow channels fluidically connecting the crossflow outlet with the main channel;   a filtering element including a particle flow channel within the main channel; and   a row of crossflow pillars disposed between the filtering element and the plurality of crossflow channels.   
     
     
         2 . The microfluidic particle concentrator of  claim 1 , wherein the filtering element includes a continuous wall element and/or a row of filtering pillars. 
     
     
         3 . The microfluidic particle concentrator of  claim 1 , wherein the crossflow channels are evenly distributed along the main channel. 
     
     
         4 . The microfluidic particle concentrator of  claim 2 , wherein the filtering pillars and/or the crossflow pillars are evenly distributed along the main channel  100 . 
     
     
         5 . The microfluidic particle concentrator of  claim 1 , wherein the flow channel runs coaxially compared to the main channel. 
     
     
         6 . The microfluidic particle concentrator of  claim 2 , wherein the pillars of the row of filtering pillars have a triangular, a drop-shaped and/or a trapezoidal cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . The microfluidic particle concentrator of  claim 1 , wherein the pillars of the row of crossflow pillars have a square, a round and/or a trapezoidal cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The microfluidic particle concentrator of  claim 1  made of a metallic material, a glass material, a plastic material, or a silicon material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A nozzle for a three-dimensional (3D) printer comprising a crossflow microfluidic particle concentrator according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A three-dimensional (3D) printer comprising a nozzle according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         11 . A fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) device comprising a crossflow microfluidic particle concentrator according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A method for manufacturing a crossflow microfluidic particle concentrator comprising the steps of:
 disposing a row of crossflow pillars between a filtering element; and   defining a particle flow channel and a crossflow outlet.   
     
     
         13 . A method for providing a particle concentration in a fluid, the method performed on a fluidic device including a main channel having an inlet and an outlet, a crossflow outlet fluidically connected via a plurality of crossflow channels to the main channel, a filtering element including a particle flow channel within the main channel, and a row of crossflow pillars disposed between the filtering element and the plurality of crossflow channels, the method comprising the steps of:
 introducing the fluid to the inlet of the main channel, the fluid including particles;   providing a pressure at the inlet and/or the outlet to cause the fluid to move from the inlet towards the outlet;   providing a negative pressure to the crossflow outlet to attract the fluid and the particles towards the crossflow outlet, via the filtering element, the row of crossflow pillars, and the plurality of crossflow channels; and   dispensing the fluid with the outlet.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the main channel is configured such that a concentration gradient of the particles forms along the main channel. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the fluid and the particles are part of a 3D printer fluid, and the step of dispensing includes a dispensing of the 3D printer fluid from a nozzle of a 3D printer. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the particles are cells, and the method further comprises the step of:
 performing fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) on the cells by using the outlet of the main channel and the crossflow outlet as two different cell separation outlets.