Microfabricated magnetophoretic focusing systems for the separation of submicrometer particles

Magnetic separation is an actively researched field due to its broad applicability to the mineral, chemical, and biological industries. The objective of this work was to design, fabricate, and test systems to study magnetophoresis of particles in suspension. To achieve this goal, two system concepts were developed: an Alternating Field System and a Flow System. Both systems consisted of permanent magnets and miniaturized devices (separation chips), which integrated microfluidic channels with ferromagnetic core elements. The systems produced "sawtooth" magnetic fields that were combined with a long-range magnetic field or pressure- driven flow to bring about migration, focusing and trapping of nonmagnetic particles suspended in ferrofluid. A potential application of such systems is high-resolution, size-based separation of DNA, cellular organelles, viruses, and other like-sized biological entities. The systems were designed using finite element analysis and fabricated using IC/MEMS microfabrication techniques. The fabrication process for the separation chips realized a microfluidic channel and electroplating molds in a single layer of SU-8 photoresist on a glass substrate. Nickel core elements were electroplated into the molds, and a PDMS cover substrate was attached using a novel technique involving contact bond and heat cycling. The systems were tested via experiments using optical fluorescence methods to observe the concentration profiles of polydisperse suspensions of polystyrene beads.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Park, Edward S., 1974-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• T. Alan Hatton.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/32268

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/32268