title: Differential inertial focusing of particles in curved low-aspect-ratio microchannels.
abstract: Microfluidic-based manipulation of particles is of great interest due to the insight it provides into the physics of hydrodynamic forces. Here, we study a particle-size-dependent phenomenon based on differential inertial focusing that utilizes the flow characteristics of curved, low aspect ratio (channel width ≫ height), microfluidic channels. We report the emergence of two focusing points along the height of the channel (z-plane), where different sized particles are focused and ordered in evenly spaced trains at correspondingly different lateral positions within the channel cross-section. We applied the system for continuous ordering and separation of suspension particles.
authors.affiliation: BioMEMS Resource Center, Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgical Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Aman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russom
authors.forename: Amit K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Sunitha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagrath
authors.forename: Dino
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: Jon F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Edd
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toner