Micromachines

14 pages, 3142 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Order Fiber Mode Beam Parameter Optimization for Transport and Rotation of Single Cells

by Zihao Shan, Shunnan Yao, Enfan Zhang, Dun Pi, Wen Cao, Feng Lin, Zhen Cai and Xingkun Wu

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020226 - 23 Feb 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2429

Abstract

Optical tweezers are becoming increasingly important in biomedical applications for the trapping, propelling, binding, and controlled rotation of biological particles. These capabilities enable applications such as cell surgery, microinjections, organelle extraction and modification, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. In particular, optical fiber-based tweezers are [...] Read more.

Optical tweezers are becoming increasingly important in biomedical applications for the trapping, propelling, binding, and controlled rotation of biological particles. These capabilities enable applications such as cell surgery, microinjections, organelle extraction and modification, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. In particular, optical fiber-based tweezers are compact, highly flexible, and can be readily integrated into lab-on-a-chip devices. Taking advantage of the beam structure inherent in high-order modes of propagation in optical fiber, LP₁₁, LP₂₁, and LP₃₁ fiber modes can generate structured radial light fields with two or more concentrations in the cross-section of a beam, forming multiple traps for bioparticles with a single optical fiber. In this paper, we report the dynamic modeling and optimization of single cell manipulation with two to six optical traps formed by a single fiber, generated by either spatial light modulation (SLM) or slanted incidence in laser-fiber coupling. In particular, we focus on beam size optimization for arbitrary target cell sizes to enable trapped transport and controlled rotation of a single cell, using a point matching method (PMM) of the T-matrix to compute trapping forces and rotation torque. Finally, we validated these optimized beam sizes experimentally for the LP₂₁ mode. This work provides a new understanding of optimal optical manipulation using high-order fiber modes at the single-cell level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Trapping and Manipulation: From Fundamentals to Applications, Volume II)

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13 pages, 3840 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Simulation on Pulsed Laser Ablation of the Single-Crystal Superalloy Considering Material Moving Front and Effect of Comprehensive Heat Dissipation

by Bin Wang, Yihui Huang, Junke Jiao, Hao Wang, Ji Wang, Wenwu Zhang and Liyuan Sheng

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020225 - 23 Feb 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2912

Abstract

In the present research, an iterative numerical model is proposed to investigate the nanosecond pulsed laser ablation (PLA) mechanism of the DD6 single-crystal superalloy. In the numerical model, two subroutines are introduced to trace the moving boundary and update the thermal load. The [...] Read more.

In the present research, an iterative numerical model is proposed to investigate the nanosecond pulsed laser ablation (PLA) mechanism of the DD6 single-crystal superalloy. In the numerical model, two subroutines are introduced to trace the moving boundary and update the thermal load. The iteration between the main governing equation and the two subroutines enables the PLA numerical simulation to consider material moving front and effect of comprehensive heat dissipation including thermal convection and radiation. The basic experimental results exhibit a good agreement with simulation results which indicates the good accuracy of the simulation model. Therefore, the PLA mechanism of the DD6 single-crystal superalloy is studied base on the improved iterative model, which indicates the evolution of temperature field, ablation zone morphology, formation of recast layer and heat-affected zone are closely related with time. The temperature of the laser spot center increases sharply at the first stage, reaching a maximum value of 5252 K, and then decreases gradually. The thermal dissipation postpones the ablation rate but promotes the formation of a recast layer and heat-affected zone. Due to the evaporation and thermal dissipation, the depth of the molten layer exhibits two rapid increasing stages. The comprehensive analysis of the PLA processing by the improved simulation model helps the understanding of the intrinsic mechanism, which would contribute to the further optimizing parameters of PLA fabrication of the DD6 single-crystal superalloy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Laser Micromachining)

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12 pages, 6070 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Analysis of Thermophoresis of a Charged Spheroidal Colloid in Aqueous Media

by Yi Zhou, Yang Yang, Changxing Zhu, Mingyuan Yang and Yi Hu

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020224 - 23 Feb 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2173

Abstract

Thermophoresis of charged colloids in aqueous media has wide applications in biology. Most existing studies of thermophoresis focused on spherical particles, but biological compounds are usually non-spherical. The present paper reports a numerical analysis of the thermophoresis of a charged spheroidal colloid in [...] Read more.

Thermophoresis of charged colloids in aqueous media has wide applications in biology. Most existing studies of thermophoresis focused on spherical particles, but biological compounds are usually non-spherical. The present paper reports a numerical analysis of the thermophoresis of a charged spheroidal colloid in aqueous media. The model accounts for the strongly coupled temperature field, the flow field, the electric potential field, and the ion concentration field. Numerical simulations revealed that prolate spheroids move faster than spherical particles, and oblate spheroids move slower than spherical particles. For the arbitrary electric double layer (EDL) thickness, the thermodiffusion coefficient of prolate (oblate) spheroids increases (decreases) with the increasing particle’s dimension ratio between the major and minor semiaxes. For the extremely thin EDL case, the hydrodynamic effect is significant, and the thermodiffusion coefficient for prolate (oblate) spheroids converges to a fixed value with the increasing particle’s dimension ratio. For the extremely thick EDL case, the particle curvature’s effect also becomes important, and the increasing (decreasing) rate of thermodiffusion coefficient for prolate (oblate) spheroids is reduced slightly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Morphology and Mechanics in Microfluidics)

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Graphical abstract

23 pages, 1895 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Homogeneous Freezing of Water Using Microfluidics

by Mark D. Tarn, Sebastien N. F. Sikora, Grace C. E. Porter, Jung-uk Shim and Benjamin J. Murray

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020223 - 23 Feb 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3196

Abstract

The homogeneous freezing of water is important in the formation of ice in clouds, but there remains a great deal of variability in the representation of the homogeneous freezing of water in the literature. The development of new instrumentation, such as droplet microfluidic [...] Read more.

The homogeneous freezing of water is important in the formation of ice in clouds, but there remains a great deal of variability in the representation of the homogeneous freezing of water in the literature. The development of new instrumentation, such as droplet microfluidic platforms, may help to constrain our understanding of the kinetics of homogeneous freezing via the analysis of monodisperse, size-selected water droplets in temporally and spatially controlled environments. Here, we evaluate droplet freezing data obtained using the Lab-on-a-Chip Nucleation by Immersed Particle Instrument (LOC-NIPI), in which droplets are generated and frozen in continuous flow. This high-throughput method was used to analyse over 16,000 water droplets (86 μm diameter) across three experimental runs, generating data with high precision and reproducibility that has largely been unrepresented in the microfluidic literature. Using this data, a new LOC-NIPI parameterisation of the volume nucleation rate coefficient (J_V(T)) was determined in the temperature region of −35.1 to −36.9 °C, covering a greater J_V(T) compared to most other microfluidic techniques thanks to the number of droplets analysed. Comparison to recent theory suggests inconsistencies in the theoretical representation, further implying that microfluidics could be used to inform on changes to parameterisations. By applying classical nucleation theory (CNT) to our J_V(T) data, we have gone a step further than other microfluidic homogeneous freezing examples by calculating the stacking-disordered ice–supercooled water interfacial energy, estimated to be 22.5 ± 0.7 mJ m⁻², again finding inconsistencies when compared to theoretical predictions. Further, we briefly review and compile all available microfluidic homogeneous freezing data in the literature, finding that the LOC-NIPI and other microfluidically generated data compare well with commonly used non-microfluidic datasets, but have generally been obtained with greater ease and with higher numbers of monodisperse droplets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidic Platforms for Ice Nucleation Studies)

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22 pages, 2398 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Energy Conversion behind Micro-and Nanomotors

by Yingmeng Wang, Yingfeng Tu and Fei Peng

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020222 - 22 Feb 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4737

Abstract

Inspired by the autonomously moving organisms in nature, artificially synthesized micro-nano-scale power devices, also called micro-and nanomotors, are proposed. These micro-and nanomotors that can self-propel have been used for biological sensing, environmental remediation, and targeted drug transportation. In this article, we will systematically [...] Read more.

Inspired by the autonomously moving organisms in nature, artificially synthesized micro-nano-scale power devices, also called micro-and nanomotors, are proposed. These micro-and nanomotors that can self-propel have been used for biological sensing, environmental remediation, and targeted drug transportation. In this article, we will systematically overview the conversion of chemical energy or other forms of energy in the external environment (such as electrical energy, light energy, magnetic energy, and ultrasound) into kinetic mechanical energy by micro-and nanomotors. The development and progress of these energy conversion mechanisms in the past ten years are reviewed, and the broad application prospects of micro-and nanomotors in energy conversion are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress on Micro/Nano Robots and Their applications)

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10 pages, 4254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Fabrication of a MEMS Electromagnetic Swing-Type Actuator for Optical Switch

by Shuhai Jia, Jun Peng, Jiaming Bian, Shuo Zhang, Shunjian Xu and Bao Zhang

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020221 - 22 Feb 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3397

Abstract

A microelectromechanical systems system (MEMS) electromagnetic swing-type actuator is proposed for an optical fiber switch in this paper. The actuator has a compact size of 5.1 × 5.1 × 5.3 mm³, consisting of two stators, a swing disc (rotator), a rotating [...] Read more.

A microelectromechanical systems system (MEMS) electromagnetic swing-type actuator is proposed for an optical fiber switch in this paper. The actuator has a compact size of 5.1 × 5.1 × 5.3 mm³, consisting of two stators, a swing disc (rotator), a rotating shaft, and protective covers. Multi-winding stators and a multipole rotator were adopted to increase the output torque of the actuator. The actuator’s working principle and magnetic circuit were analyzed. The calculation results show that the actuator’s output torque is decisive to the air gap’s magnetic flux density between the stators and the swing disc. NiFe alloy magnetic cores were embedded into each winding center to increase the magnetic flux density. A special manufacturing process was developed for fabricating the stator windings on the ferrite substrate. Six copper windings and NiFe magnetic cores were electroplated onto the ferrite substrates. The corresponding six magnetic poles were configured to the SmCo permanent magnet on the swing disc. A magnetizing device with a particular size was designed and fabricated to magnetize the permanent magnet of the swing disc. The actuator prototype was fabricated, and the performance was tested. The results show that the actuator has a large output torque (40 μNm), fast response (5 ms), and a large swing angle (22°). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS Devices for Nanomanufacturing)

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15 pages, 5283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of Printable Polyvinyl Alcohol for Aerosol Jet and Inkjet Printing Technology

by Mahmuda Akter Monne, Chandan Qumar Howlader, Bhagyashree Mishra and Maggie Yihong Chen

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020220 - 22 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3373

Abstract

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) is a promising polymer due to its high solubility with water, availability in low molecular weight, having short polymer chain, and cost-effectiveness in processing. Printed technology is gaining popularity to utilize processible solution materials at low/room temperature. This work demonstrates [...] Read more.

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) is a promising polymer due to its high solubility with water, availability in low molecular weight, having short polymer chain, and cost-effectiveness in processing. Printed technology is gaining popularity to utilize processible solution materials at low/room temperature. This work demonstrates the synthesis of PVA solution for 2.5% w/w, 4.5% w/w, 6.5% w/w, 8.5% w/w and 10.5% w/w aqueous solution was formulated. Then the properties of the ink, such as viscosity, contact angle, surface tension, and printability by inkjet and aerosol jet printing, were investigated. The wettability of the ink was investigated on flexible (Kapton) and non-flexible (Silicon) substrates. Both were identified as suitable substrates for all concentrations of PVA. Additionally, we have shown aerosol jet printing (AJP) and inkjet printing (IJP) can produce multi-layer PVA structures. Finally, we have demonstrated the use of PVA as sacrificial material for micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) device fabrication. The dielectric constant of printed PVA is 168 at 100 kHz, which shows an excellent candidate material for printed or traditional transistor fabrication. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of MEMS Technology)

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11 pages, 3226 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Endless Single-Mode Photonics Crystal Fiber Metalens for Broadband and Efficient Focusing in Near-Infrared Range

by Qiancheng Zhao, Jiaqi Qu, Gangding Peng and Changyuan Yu

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020219 - 21 Feb 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3827

Abstract

The advent of the ‘lab-on-fiber’ concept has boosted the prosperity of optical fiber-based platforms integrated with nanostructured metasurface technology which are capable of controlling the light at the nanoscale for multifunctional applications. Here, we propose an endless single-mode large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber (LMA-PCF) [...] Read more.

The advent of the ‘lab-on-fiber’ concept has boosted the prosperity of optical fiber-based platforms integrated with nanostructured metasurface technology which are capable of controlling the light at the nanoscale for multifunctional applications. Here, we propose an endless single-mode large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber (LMA-PCF) integrated metalens for broadband and efficient focusing from 800 to 1550 nm. In the present work, the optical properties of the substrate LMA-PCF were investigated, and the metalens, consisting of dielectric TiO₂ nanorods with varying radii, was elaborately designed in the fiber core region with a diameter of 48 μm to cover the required phase profile for efficient focusing with a high transmission. The focusing characteristics of the designed metalens were also investigated in detail over a wide wavelength range. It is shown that the in-fiber metalens is capable of converging the incident beams into the bright, symmetric, and legible focal spots with a large focal length of 315–380 μm depending on the operating wavelength. A high and average focusing efficiency of 70% was also obtained with varying wavelengths. It is believed the proposed fiber metalens may show great potential in applications including fiber laser configuration, machining, and fiber communication. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro-Nano Science and Engineering)

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14 pages, 5724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Self-Powered and Highly Accurate Vibration Sensor Based on Bouncing-Ball Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Intelligent Ship Machinery Monitoring

by Taili Du, Xusheng Zuo, Fangyang Dong, Shunqi Li, Anaeli Elibariki Mtui, Yongjiu Zou, Peng Zhang, Junhao Zhao, Yuewen Zhang, Peiting Sun and Minyi Xu

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020218 - 21 Feb 2021

Cited by 50 | Viewed by 6166

Abstract

With the development of intelligent ship, types of advanced sensors are in great demand for monitoring the work conditions of ship machinery. In the present work, a self-powered and highly accurate vibration sensor based on bouncing-ball triboelectric nanogenerator (BB-TENG) is proposed and investigated. [...] Read more.

With the development of intelligent ship, types of advanced sensors are in great demand for monitoring the work conditions of ship machinery. In the present work, a self-powered and highly accurate vibration sensor based on bouncing-ball triboelectric nanogenerator (BB-TENG) is proposed and investigated. The BB-TENG sensor consists of two copper electrode layers and one 3D-printed frame filled with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) balls. When the sensor is installed on a vibration exciter, the PTFE balls will continuously bounce between the two electrodes, generating a periodically fluctuating electrical signals whose frequency can be easily measured through fast Fourier transform. Experiments have demonstrated that the BB-TENG sensor has a high signal-to-noise ratio of 34.5 dB with mean error less than 0.05% at the vibration frequency of 10 Hz to 50 Hz which covers the most vibration range of the machinery on ship. In addition, the BB-TENG can power 30 LEDs and a temperature sensor by converting vibration energy into electricity. Therefore, the BB-TENG sensor can be utilized as a self-powered and highly accurate vibration sensor for condition monitoring of intelligent ship machinery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section E：Engineering and Technology)

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14 pages, 1297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On-Chip Micro Mixer Driven by Elastic Wall with Virtual Actuator

by Toshio Takayama, Makoto Kaneko and Chia-Hung Dylan Tsai

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020217 - 21 Feb 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2389

Abstract

In this paper, we propose an on-chip micromixer driven by an elastic wall with a virtual actuator. The on-chip micro mixer is composed of a circular chamber surrounded by a ring-shaped channel under isolation with an elastic wall. When vibrational pressure is put [...] Read more.

In this paper, we propose an on-chip micromixer driven by an elastic wall with a virtual actuator. The on-chip micro mixer is composed of a circular chamber surrounded by a ring-shaped channel under isolation with an elastic wall. When vibrational pressure is put on the driving channel by an actuator, the volume of the circular chamber changes through the deformation of the elastic wall, as if there exists a virtual actuator near the wall. As a result, the liquid in the circular chamber is pushed out and pulled through the neck channel. This action creates a swirling flow in the circular chamber while maintaining isolation from the driving channel. Through experiments, we confirmed the swirling flow under an isolated environment using an air-based valve. The advantage of this approach is that the micromixer can be designed with a single layer having a simple mechanism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micromixing Machines: Fundamentals, Design and Fabrication)

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12 pages, 2951 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Stability of the Electrical Connection of High-Temperature Pressure Sensor Based on the Piezoresistive Effect of P-Type SiC

by Yongwei Li, Ting Liang, Cheng Lei, Qiang Li, Zhiqiang Li, Abdul Ghaffar and Jijun Xiong

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020216 - 21 Feb 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2796

Abstract

In this study, a preparation method for the high-temperature pressure sensor based on the piezoresistive effect of p-type SiC is presented. The varistor with a positive trapezoidal shape was designed and etched innovatively to improve the contact stability between the metal and SiC [...] Read more.

In this study, a preparation method for the high-temperature pressure sensor based on the piezoresistive effect of p-type SiC is presented. The varistor with a positive trapezoidal shape was designed and etched innovatively to improve the contact stability between the metal and SiC varistor. Additionally, the excellent ohmic contact was formed by annealing at 950 °C between Ni/Al/Ni/Au and p-type SiC with a doping concentration of 10¹⁸cm⁻³. The aging sensor was tested for varistors in the air of 25 °C–600 °C. The resistance value of the varistors initially decreased and then increased with the increase of temperature and reached the minimum at ~450 °C. It could be calculated that the varistors at ~100 °C exhibited the maximum temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of ~−0.35%/°C. The above results indicated that the sensor had a stable electrical connection in the air environment of ≤600 °C. Finally, the encapsulated sensor was subjected to pressure/depressure tests at room temperature. The test results revealed that the sensor output sensitivity was approximately 1.09 mV/V/bar, which is better than other SiC pressure sensors. This study has a great significance for the test of mechanical parameters under the extreme environment of 600 °C. Full article

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14 pages, 912 KiB

Open AccessReview

Potential of Drug Efficacy Evaluation in Lung and Kidney Cancer Models Using Organ-on-a-Chip Technology

by Seong-Hye Hwang, Sangchul Lee, Jee Yoon Park, Jessie Sungyun Jeon, Young-Jae Cho and Sejoong Kim

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020215 - 21 Feb 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4860

Abstract

Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) is an exponential technology with the potential to revolutionize disease, toxicology research, and drug discovery. Recent advances in OoC could be utilized for drug screening in disease models to evaluate the efficacy of new therapies and support new tools for the [...] Read more.

Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) is an exponential technology with the potential to revolutionize disease, toxicology research, and drug discovery. Recent advances in OoC could be utilized for drug screening in disease models to evaluate the efficacy of new therapies and support new tools for the understanding of disease mechanisms. Rigorous validation of this technology is required to determine whether OoC models may represent human-relevant physiology and predict clinical outcomes in target disease models. Achievements in the OoC field could reveal exciting new avenues for drug development and discovery. This review attempts to highlight the benefits of OoC as per our understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways in lung and kidney cancer models, and discusses the challenges in evaluating drug efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microsystems for Cancer Therapeutic Approach)

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23 pages, 11248 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Deep Recurrent Neural Networks for Noise Reduction of MEMS-IMU with Static and Dynamic Conditions

by Shipeng Han, Zhen Meng, Xingcheng Zhang and Yuepeng Yan

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020214 - 20 Feb 2021

Cited by 49 | Viewed by 5283

Abstract

Micro-electro-mechanical system inertial measurement unit (MEMS-IMU), a core component in many navigation systems, directly determines the accuracy of inertial navigation system; however, MEMS-IMU system is often affected by various factors such as environmental noise, electronic noise, mechanical noise and manufacturing error. These can [...] Read more.

Micro-electro-mechanical system inertial measurement unit (MEMS-IMU), a core component in many navigation systems, directly determines the accuracy of inertial navigation system; however, MEMS-IMU system is often affected by various factors such as environmental noise, electronic noise, mechanical noise and manufacturing error. These can seriously affect the application of MEMS-IMU used in different fields. Focus has been on MEMS gyro since it is an essential and, yet, complex sensor in MEMS-IMU which is very sensitive to noises and errors from the random sources. In this study, recurrent neural networks are hybridized in four different ways for noise reduction and accuracy improvement in MEMS gyro. These are two-layer homogenous recurrent networks built on long short term memory (LSTM-LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU-GRU), respectively; and another two-layer but heterogeneous deep networks built on long short term memory-gated recurrent unit (LSTM-GRU) and a gated recurrent unit-long short term memory (GRU-LSTM). Practical implementation with static and dynamic experiments was carried out for a custom MEMS-IMU to validate the proposed networks, and the results show that GRU-LSTM seems to be overfitting large amount data testing for three-dimensional axis gyro in the static test. However, for X-axis and Y-axis gyro, LSTM-GRU had the best noise reduction effect with over 90% improvement in the three axes. For Z-axis gyroscope, LSTM-GRU performed better than LSTM-LSTM and GRU-GRU in quantization noise and angular random walk, while LSTM-LSTM shows better improvement than both GRU-GRU and LSTM-GRU networks in terms of zero bias stability. In the dynamic experiments, the Hilbert spectrum carried out revealed that time-frequency energy of the LSTM-LSTM, GRU-GRU, and GRU-LSTM denoising are higher compared to LSTM-GRU in terms of the whole frequency domain. Similarly, Allan variance analysis also shows that LSTM-GRU has a better denoising effect than the other networks in the dynamic experiments. Overall, the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of deep learning algorithms in MEMS gyro noise reduction, among which LSTM-GRU network shows the best noise reduction effect and great potential for application in the MEMS gyroscope area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section E：Engineering and Technology)

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16 pages, 3543 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Functionalized Carbon Nanotube and MnO₂ Nanoflower Hybrid as an Electrode Material for Supercapacitor Application

by Sagar Mothkuri, Honey Gupta, Pawan K. Jain, Tata Narsinga Rao, Gade Padmanabham and Supriya Chakrabarti

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020213 - 20 Feb 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2833

Abstract

Functionalized carbon nanotube (FCNT) and Manganese Oxide (MnO₂) nanoflower hybrid material was synthesized using hydrothermal technique as a promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The morphological investigation revealed the formation of ‘nanoflower’ like structure of MnO₂ connected with FCNT, thus [...] Read more.

Functionalized carbon nanotube (FCNT) and Manganese Oxide (MnO₂) nanoflower hybrid material was synthesized using hydrothermal technique as a promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The morphological investigation revealed the formation of ‘nanoflower’ like structure of MnO₂ connected with FCNT, thus paving an easy path for the conduction of electrons during the electrochemical mechanism. A significant improvement in capacitance properties was observed in the hybrid material, in which carbon nanotube acts as a conducting cylindrical path, while the major role of MnO₂ was to store the charge, acting as an electrolyte reservoir leading to an overall improved electrochemical performance. The full cell electrochemical analysis of FCNT-MnO₂ hybrid using 3 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte indicated a specific capacitance of 359.53 F g⁻¹, specific energy of 49.93 Wh kg⁻¹ and maximum specific power of 898.84 W kg⁻¹ at 5 mV s⁻¹. The results show promise for the future of supercapacitor development based on hybrid electrode materials, where high specific energy can be achieved along with high specific power and long cycle life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Energy Storage Devices based on Carbon and Oxide Nanostructures)

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13 pages, 4441 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Analysis of a Novel Flexure-Based Dynamically Tunable Nanopositioner

by Zeying Li, Pengbo Liu and Peng Yan

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020212 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2616

Abstract

Various tools, such as biomedical manipulators, optical aligners, and ultraprecision manufacturing tools, implement nanopositioners that must be dynamically tunable to satisfy the requirements of different working conditions. In this paper, we present the design and analysis of a flexure-based nanopositioner with dynamically tunable [...] Read more.

Various tools, such as biomedical manipulators, optical aligners, and ultraprecision manufacturing tools, implement nanopositioners that must be dynamically tunable to satisfy the requirements of different working conditions. In this paper, we present the design and analysis of a flexure-based nanopositioner with dynamically tunable characteristics for the implementation of a high-performance servomechanism. The nanopositioner is composed of four flexure beams that are positioned in parallel and symmetric configurations sandwiched between magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). The properties of MREs impart dynamicity to the nanopositioner, allowing the workspace, stiffness, and damping characteristics in particular to be tuned under the action of an external magnetic field. By utilizing elastic beam theory and electromagnetic field coupling analysis, kinetostatic and dynamic models of the proposed nanopositioner were established to predict the variable stiffness property and dynamically tunable characteristics. The models were validated by performing a finite element analysis. Herein, it is shown that the proposed nanopositioner model can actively adjust the trade-offs between the working range, speed, and sustained load capability by changing the magnetic field. The proposed dynamic tuning method offers new insight into the design of flexure-based nanopositioners for real applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section E：Engineering and Technology)

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17 pages, 5116 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancement of Mixing Performance of Two-Layer Crossing Micromixer through Surrogate-Based Optimization

by Shakhawat Hossain, Nass Toufiq Tayeb, Farzana Islam, Mosab Kaseem, P.D.H. Bui, M.M.K. Bhuiya, Muhammad Aslam and Kwang-Yong Kim

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020211 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2699

Abstract

Optimum configuration of a micromixer with two-layer crossing microstructure was performed using mixing analysis, surrogate modeling, along with an optimization algorithm. Mixing performance was used to determine the optimum designs at Reynolds number 40. A surrogate modeling method based on a radial basis [...] Read more.

Optimum configuration of a micromixer with two-layer crossing microstructure was performed using mixing analysis, surrogate modeling, along with an optimization algorithm. Mixing performance was used to determine the optimum designs at Reynolds number 40. A surrogate modeling method based on a radial basis neural network (RBNN) was used to approximate the value of the objective function. The optimization study was carried out with three design variables; viz., the ratio of the main channel thickness to the pitch length (H/PI), the ratio of the thickness of the diagonal channel to the pitch length (W/PI), and the ratio of the depth of the channel to the pitch length (d/PI). Through a primary parametric study, the design space was constrained. The design points surrounded by the design constraints were chosen using a well-known technique called Latin hypercube sampling (LHS). The optimal design confirmed a 32.0% enhancement of the mixing index as compared to the reference design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis, Design and Fabrication of Micromixers)

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10 pages, 3732 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel for Diving/Surfacing Device

by Jung Gi Choi, Hocheol Gwac, Yongwoo Jang, Christopher Richards, Holly Warren, Geoffrey Spinks and Seon Jeong Kim

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020210 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3298

Abstract

Underwater robots and vehicles have received great attention due to their potential applications in remote sensing and search and rescue. A challenge for micro aquatic robots is the lack of small motors needed for three-dimensional locomotion in water. Here, we show a simple [...] Read more.

Underwater robots and vehicles have received great attention due to their potential applications in remote sensing and search and rescue. A challenge for micro aquatic robots is the lack of small motors needed for three-dimensional locomotion in water. Here, we show a simple diving and surfacing device fabricated from thermo-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) or a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-containing hydrogel. The poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-containing device exhibited fast and reversible diving/surfacing cycles in response to changing temperature. Modulation of the interaction between poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) chains and water molecules at temperatures above or below the lower critical solution temperature regulates the gel density through the swelling and de-swelling. The gel surfaced in water when heated and sank when cooled. We further showed reversible diving/surfacing cycles of the device when exposed to electrical and ultrasonic stimuli. Finally, a small electrically heated gel was incorporated into a miniature submarine and used to control the diving depth. These results suggest that the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-containing device has good potential for underwater remote-controlled micro aquatic robots. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section D：Materials and Processing)

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9 pages, 1659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reliability of Neural Implants—Effective Method for Cleaning and Surface Preparation of Ceramics

by Patrick Kiele, Jan Hergesell, Melanie Bühler, Tim Boretius, Gregg Suaning and Thomas Stieglitz

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020209 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2769

Abstract

Neural implants provide effective treatment and diagnosis options for diseases where pharmaceutical therapies are missing or ineffective. These active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) are designed to remain implanted and functional over decades. A key factor for achieving reliability and longevity are cleaning procedures [...] Read more.

Neural implants provide effective treatment and diagnosis options for diseases where pharmaceutical therapies are missing or ineffective. These active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) are designed to remain implanted and functional over decades. A key factor for achieving reliability and longevity are cleaning procedures used during manufacturing to prevent failures associated with contaminations. The Implantable Devices Group (IDG) at University College London (UCL) pioneered an approach which involved a cocktail of reagents described as “Leslie’s soup”. This process proved to be successful but no extensive evaluation of this method and the cocktail’s ingredients have been reported so far. Our study addressed this gap by a comprehensive analysis of the efficacy of this cleaning method. Surface analysis techniques complemented adhesion strengths methods to identify residues of contaminants like welding flux, solder residues or grease during typical assembly processes. Quantitative data prove the suitability of “Leslie’s soup” for cleaning of ceramic components during active implant assembly when residual ionic contaminations were removed by further treatment with isopropanol and deionised water. Solder and flux contaminations were removed without further mechanical cleaning. The adhesive strength of screen-printed metalisation layers increased from 12.50 ± 3.83 MPa without initial cleaning to 21.71 ± 1.85 MPa. We conclude that cleaning procedures during manufacturing of AIMDs, especially the understanding of applicability and limitations, is of central importance for their reliable and longevity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reliability and Biostability of Microfabricated Implantable Medical Devices: Towards Standardized Manufacturing and Lab-Bench/Preclinical Testing)

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32 pages, 2468 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in In Vivo Neurochemical Monitoring

by Chao Tan, Elaine M. Robbins, Bingchen Wu and Xinyan Tracy Cui

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020208 - 18 Feb 2021

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 5871

Abstract

The brain is a complex network that accounts for only 5% of human mass but consumes 20% of our energy. Uncovering the mysteries of the brain’s functions in motion, memory, learning, behavior, and mental health remains a hot but challenging topic. Neurochemicals in [...] Read more.

The brain is a complex network that accounts for only 5% of human mass but consumes 20% of our energy. Uncovering the mysteries of the brain’s functions in motion, memory, learning, behavior, and mental health remains a hot but challenging topic. Neurochemicals in the brain, such as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, gliotransmitters, hormones, and metabolism substrates and products, play vital roles in mediating and modulating normal brain function, and their abnormal release or imbalanced concentrations can cause various diseases, such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. A wide range of techniques have been used to probe the concentrations of neurochemicals under normal, stimulated, diseased, and drug-induced conditions in order to understand the neurochemistry of drug mechanisms and develop diagnostic tools or therapies. Recent advancements in detection methods, device fabrication, and new materials have resulted in the development of neurochemical sensors with improved performance. However, direct in vivo measurements require a robust sensor that is highly sensitive and selective with minimal fouling and reduced inflammatory foreign body responses. Here, we review recent advances in neurochemical sensor development for in vivo studies, with a focus on electrochemical and optical probes. Other alternative methods are also compared. We discuss in detail the in vivo challenges for these methods and provide an outlook for future directions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensors for Neuroscience: Design, Fabrication and Performance)

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17 pages, 3603 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rapid Numerical Estimation of Pressure Drop in Hot Runner System

by Jae Sung Jung and Sun Kyoung Kim

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020207 - 18 Feb 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3499

Abstract

To determine dimensions in the hot runner systems, given a material, it is necessary to predict the pressure drop according to them. Although modern injection molding simulators are able to evaluate such pressure drops, they are expensive and demanding to be employed as [...] Read more.

To determine dimensions in the hot runner systems, given a material, it is necessary to predict the pressure drop according to them. Although modern injection molding simulators are able to evaluate such pressure drops, they are expensive and demanding to be employed as a design utility. This work develops a computer tool that can calculate a pressure drop from the sprue to the gate assuming a steady flow of a generalized Newtonian fluid. For a four drop hot runner system, the accuracy has been verified by comparing the obtained results with those by a commercial simulator. This paper presents how to utilize the proposed method in the hot runner design process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Processing for Microsystems)

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13 pages, 5193 KiB

Open AccessReview

Progress in Advanced Properties of Electrowetting Displays

by Yi Lu, Biao Tang, Guisong Yang, Yuanyuan Guo, Linwei Liu and Alex Henzen

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020206 - 18 Feb 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4599

Abstract

Electrowetting display (EWD) has promising prospects in the electronic paper industry due to it having superior characteristics, such as the ability to provide a comfortable reading experience and quick response. However, in real applications, there are also problems related to dielectric deterioration, excess [...] Read more.

Electrowetting display (EWD) has promising prospects in the electronic paper industry due to it having superior characteristics, such as the ability to provide a comfortable reading experience and quick response. However, in real applications, there are also problems related to dielectric deterioration, excess power consumption, optical instability and narrow color gamut etc. This paper reviewed the existing challenges and recent progress made in terms of improving the optical performance and reliability of EWD. First, the principle of electrowetting applied in small and confined configurations is introduced and the cause of the failure of the dielectric layer is analyzed. Then, the function of the pixel structures is described to avoid display defects. Next, electric signal modulations are compared in terms of achieving good image quality and optical stability. Lastly, the methods are presented for color panel realization. It was concluded that multi-layer dielectrics, three-dimensional pixel structures, proper electric frequency-and-amplitude modulation and an RGB color panel are expected to resolve the current limitations and contribute to designing advanced reflective displays. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrowetting and Smart/Programmable Liquid Interfaces in Microfluidics)

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15 pages, 10673 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Picosecond Laser Machining of Thermoset and Thermoplastic Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers

by Insung Choi, Su-Jin Lee, Dongsig Shin and Jeong Suh

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020205 - 17 Feb 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4036

Abstract

There has been an increase in demand for the development of lightweight and high-strength materials for applications in the transportation industry. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is known as one of the most promising materials owing to its high strength-to-weight ratio. To apply [...] Read more.

There has been an increase in demand for the development of lightweight and high-strength materials for applications in the transportation industry. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is known as one of the most promising materials owing to its high strength-to-weight ratio. To apply CFRP in the automotive industry, various machining technologies have been reported because it is difficult to machine. Among these technologies, picosecond laser beam-induced machining has attracted great interest because it provides negligible heat transfer and can avoid tool wear. In this work, we conducted and compared machining of 2.15 mm-thick thermoset and 1.85 mm-thick thermoplastic CFRPs by using a green picosecond laser. The optimized experimental conditions for drilling with a diameter of 7 mm led to a small taper angle (average ~ 3.5°). The tensile strength of the laser-drilled specimens was evaluated, and the average value was 570 MPa. Our study indicates that green picosecond laser processing should be considered as a promising option for the machining of CFRP with a small taper angle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Laser Micromachining)

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17 pages, 2886 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Efficient Computation Offloading Strategy with Mobile Edge Computing for IoT

by Juan Fang, Jiamei Shi, Shuaibing Lu, Mengyuan Zhang and Zhiyuan Ye

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020204 - 17 Feb 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3457

Abstract

With the rapidly development of mobile cloud computing (MCC), the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI), user equipment (UEs) are facing explosive growth. In order to effectively solve the problem that UEs may face with insufficient capacity when dealing with computationally [...] Read more.

With the rapidly development of mobile cloud computing (MCC), the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI), user equipment (UEs) are facing explosive growth. In order to effectively solve the problem that UEs may face with insufficient capacity when dealing with computationally intensive and delay sensitive applications, we take Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) of the IoT as the starting point and study the computation offloading strategy of UEs. First, we model the application generated by UEs as a directed acyclic graph (DAG) to achieve fine-grained task offloading scheduling, which makes the parallel processing of tasks possible and speeds up the execution efficiency. Then, we propose a multi-population cooperative elite algorithm (MCE-GA) based on the standard genetic algorithm, which can solve the offloading problem for tasks with dependency in MEC to minimize the execution delay and energy consumption of applications. Experimental results show that MCE-GA has better performance compared to the baseline algorithms. To be specific, the overhead reduction by MCE-GA can be up to 72.4%, 38.6%, and 19.3%, respectively, which proves the effectiveness and reliability of MCE-GA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microprocessors)

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14 pages, 39162 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multi-Mode Broadband Vibration Energy Harvester Composed of Symmetrically Distributed U-Shaped Cantilever Beams

by Xiaohua Huang, Cheng Zhang and Keren Dai

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020203 - 16 Feb 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3035

Abstract

Using the piezoelectric effect to harvest energy from surrounding vibrations is a promising alternative solution for powering small electronic devices such as wireless sensors and portable devices. A conventional piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) can only efficiently collect energy within a small range around [...] Read more.

Using the piezoelectric effect to harvest energy from surrounding vibrations is a promising alternative solution for powering small electronic devices such as wireless sensors and portable devices. A conventional piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) can only efficiently collect energy within a small range around the resonance frequency. To realize broadband vibration energy harvesting, the idea of multiple-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) PEH to realize multiple resonant frequencies within a certain range has been recently proposed and some preliminary research has validated its feasibility. Therefore, this paper proposed a multi-DOF wideband PEH based on the frequency interval shortening mechanism to realize five resonance frequencies close enough to each other. The PEH consists of five tip masses, two U-shaped cantilever beams and a straight beam, and tuning of the resonance frequencies is realized by specific parameter design. The electrical characteristics of the PEH are analyzed by simulation and experiment, validating that the PEH can effectively expand the operating bandwidth and collect vibration energy in the low frequency. Experimental results show that the PEH has five low-frequency resonant frequencies, which are 13, 15, 18, 21 and 24 Hz; under the action of 0.5 g acceleration, the maximum output power is 52.2, 49.4, 61.3, 39.2 and 32.1 μW, respectively. In view of the difference between the simulation and the experimental results, this paper conducted an error analysis and revealed that the material parameters and parasitic capacitance are important factors that affect the simulation results. Based on the analysis, the simulation is improved for better agreement with experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Harvesters and Self-powered Sensors for Smart Electronics)

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14 pages, 17159 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Measurement and Analysis of Impedance Response of HeLa Cells to Distinct Chemotherapy Drugs

by Xiangbin Du, Jinlong Kong, Yang Liu, Qianmin Xu, Kaiqun Wang, Di Huang, Yan Wei, Weiyi Chen and Haiyang Mao

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020202 - 16 Feb 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2756

Abstract

Electric cell–substrate impedance sensing exhibits a real-time and label-free feature to monitor the response of cells stimulated by various biochemical and mechanical signals. Alterations in the currents passing through the cell–electrode system characterize the impedance variations of cells. The impedance responses of HeLa [...] Read more.

Electric cell–substrate impedance sensing exhibits a real-time and label-free feature to monitor the response of cells stimulated by various biochemical and mechanical signals. Alterations in the currents passing through the cell–electrode system characterize the impedance variations of cells. The impedance responses of HeLa cells under distinct chemotherapy drugs combine the effects of cell proliferation and cell–substrate adhesion. Optimal interdigitated electrodes were selected to explore the impedance responses of HeLa cells. Measurements of impedance of cells in response to three widely used chemotherapy drugs in clinical practice, namely cisplatin, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, were performed. The results demonstrated that distinct impedance responses of HeLa cells to drugs were exhibited and a decrease in measured impedance was observed after drug treatment, accompanied by alterations in the distribution and intensity of the adhesion-related protein vinculin and the rate of cell proliferation. The link between the impedance profiles of HeLa cells and their biological functions was developed based on the circuit model. This study demonstrated the weights of cell proliferation and adhesion of HeLa cells under the treatments of DDP, DOX, and 5-FU, resulted in distinct impedance responses of cells, providing an impedance-based evaluation methodology for cervical cancer treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomedical Nanotechnology)

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22 pages, 10082 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Positioning Error Modeling of Servo Axis Based on Empirical Modeling Method

by Yang Li, Hexuan Shi, Shijun Ji and Fusheng Liang

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020201 - 15 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2199

Abstract

In order to investigate the thermal effect of a servo axis’ positioning error on the accuracy of machine tools, an empirical modeling method was proposed, which considers both the geometric and thermal positioning error. Through the analysis of the characteristics of the positioning [...] Read more.

In order to investigate the thermal effect of a servo axis’ positioning error on the accuracy of machine tools, an empirical modeling method was proposed, which considers both the geometric and thermal positioning error. Through the analysis of the characteristics of the positioning error curves, the initial geometric positioning error was modeled with polynomial fitting, while the thermal positioning error was built with an empirical modeling method. Empirical modeling maps the relationship between the temperature points and thermal error directly, where the multi-collinearity among the temperature variables exists. Therefore, fuzzy clustering combined with principal component regression (PCR) is applied to the thermal error modeling. The PCR model can preserve information from raw variables and eliminate the effect of multi-collinearity on the error model to a certain degree. The advantages of this modeling method are its high-precision and strong robustness. Experiments were conducted on a three-axis machine tool. A criterion was also proposed to select the temperature-sensitivity points. The fitting accuracy of the comprehensive error modeling could reach about 89%, and the prediction accuracy could reach about 86%. The proposed modeling method was proven to be effective and accurate enough to predict the positioning error at any time during the machine tool operation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section E：Engineering and Technology)

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10 pages, 2950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Precision Blanking Process Design of Micro Gear Based on Piezoelectric Actuator

by Changjun Hu, Yunyang Shi and Fangfang Liu

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020200 - 15 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2508

Abstract

In order to process micro scale parts more conveniently, especially the micro parts with complex shape, a new micro blanking equipment based on piezoelectric ceramic driving is proposed in this paper. Compared with other large precision machining equipment, the equipment cost has been [...] Read more.

In order to process micro scale parts more conveniently, especially the micro parts with complex shape, a new micro blanking equipment based on piezoelectric ceramic driving is proposed in this paper. Compared with other large precision machining equipment, the equipment cost has been greatly reduced. Using displacement sensor to detect the change of output displacement and feedback control piezoelectric actuator to control the change of relevant parameters, the control precision is high. The micro gear parts with diameter less than 2 mm are obtained through the blanking experiment on the experimental equipment. From the relationship between the obtained time and the punch output force, output displacement and die adjustment, it can be seen that the designed equipment has good processing performance and can complete the blanking forming of micro parts well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Machining Processes)

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9 pages, 2809 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Surface-Potential-Based Compact Modeling of p-GaN Gate HEMTs

by Jie Wang, Zhanfei Chen, Shuzhen You, Benoit Bakeroot, Jun Liu and Stefaan Decoutere

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020199 - 15 Feb 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3287

Abstract

We propose a surface potential (SP)-based compact model of p-GaN gate high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) which solves the Poisson equation. The model includes all possible charges in the GaN channel layer, including the unintended Mg doping density caused by out-diffusion. The SP [...] Read more.

We propose a surface potential (SP)-based compact model of p-GaN gate high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) which solves the Poisson equation. The model includes all possible charges in the GaN channel layer, including the unintended Mg doping density caused by out-diffusion. The SP equation and its analytical approximate solution provide a high degree of accuracy for the SP calculation, from which the closed-form I–V equations are derived. The proposed model uses physical parameters only and is implemented in Verilog-A code. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue GaN-Based Semiconductor Devices)

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11 pages, 2715 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inertial Migration of Neutrally Buoyant Spherical Particles in Square Channels at Moderate and High Reynolds Numbers

by Yanfeng Gao, Pascale Magaud, Lucien Baldas and Yanping Wang

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020198 - 14 Feb 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2551

Abstract

The inertial migration of particles in microchannel flows has been deeply investigated in the last two decades. In spite of numerous reports on the inertial focusing patterns in a square channel, the particle inertial focusing and longitudinal ordering processes remain unclear at high [...] Read more.

The inertial migration of particles in microchannel flows has been deeply investigated in the last two decades. In spite of numerous reports on the inertial focusing patterns in a square channel, the particle inertial focusing and longitudinal ordering processes remain unclear at high Reynolds numbers (>200) in square microchannels smaller than 100 µm in width. Thus, in this work, in situ visualization of particles flowing in square micro-channels at Reynolds numbers Re ranging from 5 to 280 has been conducted and their migration behaviors have been analyzed. The obtained results confirm that new equilibrium positions appear above a critical Re depending on the particle to channel size ratio and the particle volume fraction. It is also shown that, for a given channel length, an optimal Reynolds number can be identified, for which the ratio of particles located on equilibrium positions is maximal. Moreover, the longitudinal ordering process, i.e., the formation of trains of particles on equilibrium positions and the characterization of their length, has also been analyzed for the different flow conditions investigated in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inertial Microfluidics)

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11 pages, 2818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection with Duplex-Specific Nuclease Signal Amplification

by Meiqing Liu, Haoran Li, Yanwei Jia, Pui-In Mak and Rui P. Martins

Micromachines 2021, 12(2), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12020197 - 14 Feb 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3450

Abstract

The emergence of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a zoonotic pathogen, has led to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and brought serious threats to public health worldwide. The gold standard method for SARS-CoV-2 detection requires both [...] Read more.

The emergence of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a zoonotic pathogen, has led to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and brought serious threats to public health worldwide. The gold standard method for SARS-CoV-2 detection requires both reverse transcription (RT) of the virus RNA to cDNA and then polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the cDNA amplification, which involves multiple enzymes, multiple reactions and a complicated assay optimization process. Here, we developed a duplex-specific nuclease (DSN)-based signal amplification method for SARS-CoV-2 detection directly from the virus RNA utilizing two specific DNA probes. These specific DNA probes can hybridize to the target RNA at different locations in the nucleocapsid protein gene (N gene) of SARS-CoV-2 to form a DNA/RNA heteroduplex. DSN cleaves the DNA probe to release fluorescence, while leaving the RNA strand intact to be bound to another available probe molecule for further cleavage and fluorescent signal amplification. The optimized DSN amount, incubation temperature and incubation time were investigated in this work. Proof-of-principle SARS-CoV-2 detection was demonstrated with a detection sensitivity of 500 pM virus RNA. This simple, rapid, and direct RNA detection method is expected to provide a complementary method for the detection of viruses mutated at the PCR primer-binding regions for a more precise detection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro-Nano Science and Engineering)

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