What is Microfluidics? Applications, Examples, Companies List

Microfluidics is concerned with the design and study of devices that move or analyze small volumes of fluids using tiny channels with dimensions on a microscopic scale. Microfluidic devices have microchannels from submicron to a few millimeters. For comparison, human hair is about 100 microns thick. 

Microfluidics is increasingly used in biology because precise and controlled experiments can be performed at low cost and high speed. Microfluidics studies systems that can process small volumes of fluids using tiny channels with dimensions on a microscopic scale – typically tens to hundreds of micrometers. 

Microfluidic

Although in its infancy, finding applications in diverse fields, from biology and chemistry to information technology and optics. Microfluidics is a field of science that focuses on studying and manipulating small amounts of fluid through channels between 100 micrometers (µm) and 1µm in diameter.

There are many reasons to use microfluidics. First, use a smaller size scale in the range of microns. For each 3D shape type, e.g., A rectangular channel or chamber, the volume-to-surface area ratio increases as size decreases. It is suitable for microchannels to capture targets such as cells, germs or nanoparticles.

In its basic form, microfluidics works with small amounts of fluid – just tens of micrometers across. For reference, a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter. Microfluidics is a promising technology that helps scientists make discoveries. This guide will explain microfluidics and how to start creating your microfluidic chips.

Microfluidics is a breakthrough technology that uses tiny channels to process small volumes of fluids. It can be applied to many new fields, saving money and time in research.

Microfluidics Applications

Advances in micromachining technology, specifically in microfluidics, have allowed many industries to see practical applications of microfluidics.

Organ on a Chip

Organ-on-a-chip is one of the most popular applications of microfluidic chips. Organ-on-a-chip devices allow researchers to test and experiment with organ functions to learn more, recreating them using animal subjects but not miniature models of human organs, thereby speeding up research time.

Microfluidic Cell Sorting

Microfluidic cell sorters and cell separation chips are highly efficient, modular, and cost-effective. They are one of the most successfully commercialized microfluidic devices. Microfluidic cell sorter devices work based on differences in a specific parameter. The measurement at which microfluidic technology works allows cells to be sorted based on very subtle differences in an underlying parameter.

Gene Delivery on Chip

Microfluidic gene delivery chips can transfer genetic or chemical cargo into cells with high efficiencies. One drawback of using a tool like CRISPR is that the transfer rate is not always the same, so scientists are forced to experiment on a larger scale. Microfluidics technology handles tiny volumes of fluids within micron-scale limits.

Point of Care Applications

Microfluidic technology provides a suitable platform for point-of-care applications in diagnostics and environmental testing. Environmental pollution monitoring and disease diagnosis are two essential aspects of conservation research. The goal is to develop portable devices that can reliably detect a contaminant or pathogen at the desired location instead of sending samples back to a central lab.

Drug Delivery Devices

Microfluidic systems can deliver precise doses of compounds to the body and produce drug carriers. Drug delivery systems aim for the controlled release and targeted delivery of drug compounds to the body. Microfluidics promises to deliver drugs to intended targets precisely, making microfluidics devices a high-demand commodity for drug delivery systems.

Advantages of Microfluidics

• Small volumes of expensive reagents
• Parallel operations
• Shorter processing
• Integration of flow, reactions, separation and detection
• Integration with information management.

Conclusion

Microfluidics refers to tools for manipulating fluids and materials, typically at a few to hundreds of microns. Ideas and strategies for experimental measurements have expanded continuously over the past 30 years, and many review articles have been written.