• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.280-284
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• 2023

In this study, a prototype micro-scale photomask and microfluidic channel mold were fabricated using the thermal shrinkage of the polymer. A polystyrene (PS) sheet was used as the heat-shrink polymer, and the patterns of the photomask and microchannel are interdigitated electrodes. Patterns were formed on the PS sheets using a commercial laser printer. The contraction ratio of the PS sheet was approximately 60% at a temperature of 150 ℃, and the transmittance was reduced by approximately 0% at a wavelength of 365 nm. The microfluidic channel had a round shape. The proposed technique is simple, facile, and inexpensive for fabricating a micro-scale photomask and microfluidic channel mold and does not involve the use of any harmful materials. Thus, this technique is well-suited for fabricating diverse micro-scale patterns and channels for prototype devices, including sensors.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.277-280
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• 2006

Rapid and highly sensitive determination of nicotine in a PDMS microfluidic channel was investigated using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). A three-dimensional PDMS microfluidic channel was fabricated for this purpose. This channel shows a high mixing efficiency because the transverse and vertical dispersions of the fluid occur simultaneously through the upper and lower zig zag-type blocks. A higher efficiency of mixing could also be obtained by splitting each of the confluent streams into two sub-streams that then joined and recombined. The SERS signal was measured after nicotine molecules were effectively adsorbed onto silver nanoparticles by passing through the three-dimensional channel. A quantitative analysis of nicotine was performed based on the measured peak area at 1030 $cm^{-1}$. The detection limit was estimated to be below 0.1 ppm. In this work, the SERS detection, in combination with a PDMS microfluidic channel, has been applied to the quantitative analysis of nicotine in aqueous solution. Compared to the other conventional analytical methods, the detection sensitivity was enhanced up to several orders of magnitude.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.865-884
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• 2016

We have previously demonstrated a microfluidic elastomer, which changes apparent color and could have potential applications in smart windows. The practical use of such functional microfluidic systems requires rapid and uniform fluid displacement throughout the channel network with minimal amount of liquid supply. The goal of this simulation study is to design various microfluidic networks for similar applications including, but not limited to, the color-switching windows and compare the liquid displacement speed and efficiency of the designs. We numerically simulate and analyze the liquid displacement in the microfluidic networks with serpentine, parallel and lattice channel configurations, as well as their modified versions with wide or tapered distributor and collector channels. The data are analyzed on the basis of numerical criteria defined to evaluate the performance of the corresponding functional systems. We found that the lattice channel network geometry with the tapered distributors and collectors provides most rapid and uniform fluid displacement with minimum liquid waste. The simulation results could give an important guideline for efficient liquid supply/displacement in emerging functional systems with embedded microfluidic networks.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1685-1686
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• 2008

This paper presents the design and experiment results of a multi-layered microsystem for magnetic bead applications. The magneto-microfluidic device is designed for capable of separating magnetic beads. In the presence of the magnetic field, magnetic beads are attracted and moved to high gradient magnetic fields. A multi-layered microfluidic channel consists of top and bottom layers in order to separate magnetic beads in the vertical direction. Our channel is easily integrated magnetic cell sorter, especially on-chip microelectromagnet or permanent magnet device. Fast separation of magnetic beads in top and bottom channels can be used in high throughput screening to monitor the efficiency of blood and drug compounds.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.395-396
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• 2010

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2022

Microfluidic radioimmunoassay (RIA) platform called µ-RIA spends less reagent and shorter reaction time for the analysis compared to the conventional tube-based radioimmunoassay. This study reported the design of µ-RIA chips optimized for the gamma counter which could measure the small samples of radioactive materials automatically. Compared with the previous study, the µ-RIA chips developed in this study were designed to be compatible with conventional RIA test tubes. And, the automatic gamma counter could detect radioactivity from the ¹²⁵I labeled anti-PSA attached to the chips. Effects of the multi-layer microchannels and two-phase flow in the µ-RIA chips were investigated in this study. The measured radioactivity from the ¹²⁵I labeled anti-PSA was linearly proportional to the number of stacked chips, representing that the radioactivity in µ-RIA platform could be amplified by designing the chips with multi-layers. In addition, we designed µ-RIA chip to generate liquid-gas plug flow inside the microfluidic channel. The plug flow can promote binding of the biomolecules onto the microfluidic channel surface with recirculation in the liquid phase. The ratio of liquid slug and air slug length was 1 : 1 when the ¹²⁵I labeled anti-PSA and the air were injected at 1 and 35 µL/min, respectively, exhibiting 1.6 times higher biomolecule attachment compared to the microfluidic chip without the air injection. This experimental result indicated that the biomolecular reaction was improved by generating liquid-gas slugs inside the microfluidic channel. In this study, we presented a novel µ-RIA chips that is compatible with the conventional gamma counter with automated sampler. Therefore, high-throughput radioimmunoassay can be carried out by the automatic measurement of radioactivity with reduced radiowaste generation. We expect the µ-RIA platform can successfully replace conventional tube-based radioimmunoassay in the future.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.357-362
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• 2011

This paper demonstrates a novel electrodynamic technique to remove particles from the wall of microchannels. Dielectrohporesis(DEP) is generated by applying alternating electric potentials to the interdigitated electrodes integrated at the bottom of the micro-channel. The proposed technique is applied to a general microfluidic channel as a feasibility test. To examine the wall loss reduction efficiency, 10 ${\mu}m$ diameter Polystyrene latexes(PSL) were supplied to the inlet of the device. Then, the concentration of collected particles through devices was measured. In the experiment for 10 ${\mu}m$ diameter PSL particles, the concentration of the injected particles was $174.25{\times}10^4$ particles/ml. However, the concentration of collected particles at the outlet was $52.25{\times}10^4$ particles/ml. Only 30 % of particles had arrived at the outlet and 70 % of particles had adhered to the wall of the microfluidic channel. By applying alternating electric potentials from 0 to 20 $V_{pp}$ at 3 MHz, the concentration of injected particles was 135.00${\times}10^4$ particles/ml, the concentration of collected particles was increased as $105.25{\times}10^4$ particles/ml at 20 $V_{pp}$ at the outlet. When the electric potential was 20 $V_{pp}$, the particle loss was decreased by 39 % (initial loss: 70 %, loss at 20 Vpp: 31 %) with 10 ${\mu}m$ particle. The particle loss was decreased along to the incensement of electric potentials and the enlargement of the diameter of particles. According to these measured results, it was confirmed that the proposal of using DEP technique could be a good candidate for particle loss reduction in micro-particle processing chip application. Moreover, it is expected that the proposed technique could enhance performance of microfluidic and biochip devices.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

The successful synthesis of hyaluronic acid micro-threads is very promising approach for the broad application in tissue engineering such as dermal fillers. Because hyaluronic acid has the excellent biocompatibility and ability to maintain the moisture of up to several hundred times its own weight. In order to generate the hyaluronic acid micro-threads in microfluidic system, we employed two-phase flow microfluidic chip to make a rapid synthesis of the hyaluronic acid hydrogel. Hyaluronic acid was mixed with 0.02N NaOH solution and 1, 4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) solution and then injected into core channel. The ethanol was used for the 3-dimensional micro-thread formation in sheath channel. We manipulated the diameter of HA micro-threads using controlling of flow rates in microfluidic chip, and showed the feasibility of immobilization in HA micro-threads with florescent substances. Also, the generated HA micro-threads were evaluated and showed the suitable properties with tensile strength, bending property, and swelling profiles for dermal fillers. As a result, we suggested an innovative method for microfluidic chip-based HA micro-threads which could safely be applied as dermal filler in tissue engineering.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2018

For the measurement of biophysical properties related with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), various microfluidic devices were proposed. However, many devices were monitored by optical equipment. Ultrasound measurement to quantify the biophysical properties can provide new insights to understand the cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to check feasibility of microfluidic device for ultrasound image analysis based on 3D printer. To facilitate acoustic transmission, agarose solution is poured around 3D mold connected with holes of the acrylic box. By applying speckle image velocimetry(SIV) technique, flow information in the bifurcated channel was estimated. Considering that ultrasound signal amplitude is determined by red blood cell (RBC) aggregation, RBC aggregation in the bifurcated channel can be estimated through the analysis of ultrasound signal. As examples of microfluidic device which mimic the CVD model, velocity fields in microfluidic devices with stenosis and aneurysm were introduced.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.717-720
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• 2003

A chromogenic biosensor employing microfluidics on a chip has been developed for the determination of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-C) in human serum. We have investigated a plain and effective method to immobilize enzymes within the microchip without chemically modifying micro-channel or technically micro-fabricating column reactor and fluid channel network. In assessing risk factors of coronary heart disease, a micro-chip system would minimize requirements of instrument and reagent handling.