(314g) Asymmetrical Cross-Flow Based Split Thin Cell Fractionation

A growing need for the separation of nano particles may be solved by split flow thin cell fractionation (SPLITT). This work introduces a novel cross-flow based SPLITT microsystem that is capable of high speed continuous separations based on size and density of the sample.An Asymmetrical cross flow based SPLITT system has been used to separate 470 nm polystyrene nanoparticles and albumin in less than 15 minutes. Work is still under progress to model the system to identify optimized set of inlet flowrates, total flowrates, cross-flow and other two outlets for high resolution separation. The microsystem consists of a flow unit that consists of two fluidic channels (Of which one channel is made of double sided tape of thickness 50 microns and other one is a thin PDMS layer coated on double sided tape of thickness 100 microns) that are separated by a splitter layer made of stiff Mylar sheet of thickness 125 micron. One side of flow unit utilizes a porous frit that allows for cross-flow in or out of the channel as one wall and glass slide as another wall. Polystyrene particles of size 470 nm and albumin were injected for system characterization. Initial results show that the system is capable of retaining most of the particles and future work will involve optimizing the flowrate combinations for improved and continuous separation of more complex samples.