• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.738-742
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• 2012

Here, we develop a new nanofilter device for the rapid and efficient separation of nanoparticles and biomolecules, exploiting the use of AAO mebrane with ordered nanopores in the range from 20 nm to 200 nm. Briefly, the chip comprises of a series of the upper and lower PDMS channels containing embedded inlet and outlet ports, and $50{\mu}m$ width microfluidic channel, and AAO membrane to be made the filtering zone. After assembling these components, the acrylate plastic plates were used to fix the device on the top and bottom side. When introducing the samples into the inlet ports of the upper PDMS channel, we were able to separate and concentrate the nanoparticles and target molecules at the filtering zone, and to elute the solutions containing the unwanted materials toward the lower PDMS channels normal to the direction of AAO membrane. To demonstrate the usefulness of the device we apply it to the SERS detection of nucleic acid sequences associated with Dengue virus serotype 2. We report a limit of detection for Dengue sequences of 300 nM and show excellent enhancement of Raman signals from the filter zone of the nanofilter device.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 2007

Microencapsulation of cells within microfluidic devices enables explicit control of the membrane thickness or cell density, resulting in improved viability of the transplanted cells within an aggressive immune system. In this study, living cells (3T3 and L929 fibroblast cells) are encapsulated within a semi-permeable membrane (calcium crosslinked alginate gel) in two different device designs, a flow focusing and a core-annular flow focusing geometry. These two device designs produce a bead and a long microfibre, respectively. For the alginate bead, an alginate aqueous solution incorporating cells flows through a flow focusing channel and an alginate droplet is formed from the balance of interfacial forces and viscous drag forces resulting from the continuous (oil) phase flowing past the alginate solution. It immediately reacts with an adjacent $CaCl_2$ drop that is extruded into the main flow channel by another flow focusing channel downstream of the site of alginate drop creation. Depending on the flow conditions, monodisperse microbeads of sizes ranging from $50-200\;{\mu}m$ can be produced. In the case of the microfibre, the alginate solution with cells is extruded into a continuous phase of $CaCl_2$ solution. The diameter of alginate fibres produced via this technique can be tightly controlled by changing both flow rates. Cell viability in both forms of alginate encapsulant was confirmed by a LIVE/DEAD cell assay for periods of up to 24 hours post encapsulation.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.179-183
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• 2006

Surface roughness is present in most of the microfluidic devices due to the microfabrication techniques. This paper presents lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) results for laminar flow in a microchannel with surface roughness. The surface roughness is modeled by an array of rectangular modules placed on top and bottom side of a parallel-plate channel. In this study, LBGK D2Q9 code in lattice Boltzmann Method is used to simulate flow field for low Reynolds number in a micro-channel. The effects of relative surface roughness, roughness distribution, roughness size and the results are presented in the form of the product of friction factor and Reynolds number. Finally, a significant increase in Poiseuille number is detected as the surface roughness is considered, while the effect of roughness on the microflow field depends on the surface roughness.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.29 no.12 s.243
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• pp.1369-1376
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• 2005

Effective mixing gives strong advantageous impact on microfluidic applications since mixing is in general very slow process motivated by molecular diffusion transport only on the micro-scale. In this work, the mixing characteristics are analyzed in a Y-channel micromixer with obstacles. For the through analysis, our laboratory in-house unstructured grid CFD code is validated through solving a concentration transport in a uniform microchannel. The solutions well correspond to both exact solutions and those from MemCFD. Mixing in a Y-channel micromixer with obstacles is numerically investigated by the in-house code to search the optimal radius and layout of obstacles. From the simulations, the mixing efficiency appears to be proportional to the magnitude of the formation of lateral velocity component. It is also shown that the asymmetric layout and radius enlargement of obstacles greatly improves mixing efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.91.2-91.2
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2009.02a
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• pp.92.1-92.1
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• 2009

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.189-190
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• 2010

Our results demonstrate the possibility of implementing a chip-cytometer for biological applications using high-sensitive spin-valve devices integrated with a microfluidic channel. Further studies will be extended to the real-time detection of animal cells coated with magnetic beads for the biological applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Rheology Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.57-60
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• 2006

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2010

In our previous work, 3-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing microfluidic device (3D-HFMD) has been developed with the help of locally increased aspect ratio of thickness to width without any horizontal separation wall. In this study, we have investigated 3-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing behaviors inside the 3D-HFMD according to the various geometric and flow conditions. The parametric study has been extensively carried out for the effects of geometric and flow conditions on 3-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing with both 3D-HFMD and previous microfluidic device design based on three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The CFD simulations suggested the proper design window of channel geometry and flow conditions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.921-925
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• 2015

The number of people suffering from renal disease increases every year. One of the most common treatments (clinical care options) for renal diseases is hemodialysis. However it takes a long time and has a high cost. Therefore, the importance of artificial kidney research has risen. Filtering creatinine from blood is one of the prime renal functions. Thus, we designed a novel two channel microfluidic chip focused on that function. In order to bond the individual polydimethylsiloxane layers, we have developed a housing system using acrylic plastic frame. This method has significant advantages in changing filter membranes. We use anodic aluminum oxide for the filter membrane. We analyzed the difference in the absorbance values for various creatinine concentrations using the Jaffe reaction. For the purpose of acquiring a standard equation to quantify the creatinine concentration, we interpolated the measured data and confirmed the concentration of the filtered solution. Through this experiment, we determined how the filtration efficiency depended on the flow rate and creatinine concentration.