This paper describes a simple method of generating concentration gradients with linear and parabolic profiles by using a Christmas tree-shaped microfluidic network.The microfluidic gradient generator consists of two p...This paper describes a simple method of generating concentration gradients with linear and parabolic profiles by using a Christmas tree-shaped microfluidic network.The microfluidic gradient generator consists of two parts：a Christmas tree-shaped network for gradient generation and a broad microchannel for detection.A two-dimensional model was built to analyze the flow field and the mass transfer in the microfluidic network.The simulating results show that a series of linear and parabolic gradient profiles were generated via adjusting relative flow rate ratios of the two source solutions（R_L^2≥0.995 and _PR^2≥0.999）,which could match well with the experimental results（R_L^2≥0.987 and _PR^2≥0.996）.The proposed method is promising for the generation of linear and parabolic concentration gradient profiles,with the potential in chemical and biological applications such as combinatorial chemistry synthesis,stem cell differentiation or cytotoxicity assays.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81372358,81527801,51303140,and 81602489)the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(2014CFA029)+1 种基金the Colleges of Hubei Province Outstanding Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team(T201305)the Applied Foundational Research Program of Wuhan Municipal Science and Technology Bureau(2015060101010056)
文摘This paper describes a simple method of generating concentration gradients with linear and parabolic profiles by using a Christmas tree-shaped microfluidic network.The microfluidic gradient generator consists of two parts：a Christmas tree-shaped network for gradient generation and a broad microchannel for detection.A two-dimensional model was built to analyze the flow field and the mass transfer in the microfluidic network.The simulating results show that a series of linear and parabolic gradient profiles were generated via adjusting relative flow rate ratios of the two source solutions（R_L^2≥0.995 and _PR^2≥0.999）,which could match well with the experimental results（R_L^2≥0.987 and _PR^2≥0.996）.The proposed method is promising for the generation of linear and parabolic concentration gradient profiles,with the potential in chemical and biological applications such as combinatorial chemistry synthesis,stem cell differentiation or cytotoxicity assays.
