A microchannel device is presented which separates and focuses charged proteins based on electric field gradient focusing. Separation is achieved by setting a constant electroosmotic flow velocity against step changes in electrophoretic velocity. Where these two velocities are balanced for a given analyte, the analyte focuses at that point because it is driven to it from all points within the c...

Control of surface properties in microfluidic systems is an indispensable prerequisite for successful bioanalytical applications. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic devices are hampered from unwanted adsorption of biomolecules and lack of methods to control electroosmotic flow (EOF). In this paper, we propose different strategies to coat PDMS surfaces with poly(oxyethylene) (POE) molecu...

Isoelectric focusing of proteins in a silica nanofluidic channel filled with citric acid and disodium phosphate buffers is investigated via numerical simulation. Ions in the channel migrate in response to (i) the electric field acting on their charge and (ii) the bulk electroosmotic flow (which is directed toward the cathode). Proteins are focused near the low pH (anode) end when the electromig...

We present mesoscopic dissipative particle dynamics-simulations of polyelectrolyte electrophoresis in confined nanogeometries for varying salt concentration and surface slip conditions. Special attention is given to the influence of electroosmotic flow on the migration of the polyelectrolyte. The effective polyelectrolyte mobility is found to depend strongly on the boundary properties, that is,...

During the AC electrokinetic manipulation of particles in suspension on microelectrode structures, strong frequency-dependent fluid flow is observed. The fluid movement is predominant at frequencies below the reciprocal charge relaxation time, with a reproducible pattern occurring close to and across the electrode surface. This paper reports measurements of the fluid velocity as a function of f...

The aim of this work was to find a relationship between electroosmotic flow (EOF) velocity of the mobile phase in pressurized planar electrochromatography (PPEC) and physicochemical properties like zeta potential, dielectric constant, and viscosity of the mobile phase as well as its composition. The study included different types of organic modifiers (acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, acetone, f...

We have developed a quantitative immunoassay chip targeting point-of-care testing. To implement a lateral flow immunoassay, a glass fiber sheet was chosen as the material for the microfluidic channel in which the negative charge on the fiber surfaces efficiently generates the electroosmotic flow (EOF). The EOF, in turn, allows controllable bound/free separation of antigen/antibody interactions ...

A spectral element algorithm is developed to analyze mixed electroosmotic=pressure driven  ows in complex two-dimensional geometries. The new algorithm exhibits spectral accuracy in resolving thin electric double layers. Mixed electroosmotic=pressure driven  ows are simulated in straight channels. Electrokinetic pumping and the means of producing large pressure gradients in microchannels are ...

The electroosmotic flow (EOF) in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) separation channel can be altered and controlled by adding a carboxylic acid to the prepolymer prior to curing. When the prepolymer is doped with 0.5 wt % undecylenic acid (UDA), the electroosmotic mobility in a modified PDMS channel rises to (7.6 +/- 0.2) x 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) (in HEPES buffer at pH 8.5), which is nearly twi...

The capillary/channel length is an important factor in capillary electrophoresis (CE) systems since it is directly related to the amount of separation attainable. In this work we present methods to increase the effective channel length without the need to modify the physical channel length. Using an electrode located close to the capillary surface it is possible to dynamically modify zeta-poten...