Title:Blood Flow Visualization and Measurements in Microfluidic Devices Fabricated by a Micromilling Technique
VOLUME: 7 ISSUE: 3
Author(s):Jaron Singhal, Diana Pinho, Raquel Lopes, Patricia C. Sousa, Valdemar Garcia, Helmut Schütte, Rui Lima and Stefan Gassmann
Affiliation:Department of Mechanical Technology, ESTiG-IPB, Braganca, Portugal.
Keywords:Biomedical applications, blood cells, cell-free layer, cells separation, micromilling, microfluidic devices.
Abstract:The most common and used technique to produce microfluidic devices for biomedical applications
is the soft-lithography. However, this is a high cost and time-consuming technique. Recently,
manufacturers were able to produce milling tools smaller than 100 m and consequently have
promoted the ability of the micromilling machines to fabricate microfluidic devices capable of performing
cell separation. In this work, we show the ability of a micromilling machine to manufacture
microchannels down to 30 µm and also the ability of a microfluidic device to perform partial separation
of red blood cells from plasma. Flow visualization and measurements were performed by using a
high-speed video microscopy system. Advantages and limitations of the micromilling fabrication process
are also presented.
