Development of a microfluidic device with precise on-chip temperature control by integrated cooling and heating components for single cell-based analysis. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Ji; Fang, Cifeng; Ren, Shen; Pan, Jiaji; Jia, Yudong; Shu, Zhiquan; Gao, Dayong
• Is Part Of: International journal of heat and mass transfer. Volume 130(2019)
• Page Start: 660
• Page End: 667
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Heat transfer analysis -- Microfludic -- Cooling and heating -- Cell membrane permeability; Heat -- Transmission -- Periodicals; Mass transfer -- Periodicals; Chaleur -- Transmission -- Périodiques; Transfert de masse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.4022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.10.135
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9310

Abstract

Highlights: A microfluidic device was developed to provide precise and rapid control of temperature and fluid flow. Multiphysics simulation was conducted in the coupled modeling of heat transfer, fluid flow, and Joule heating. Response characteristics and stability of the desired temperature control were demonstrated experimentally. Abstract: An integrated microfluidic device with active cooling and heating systems was developed in aiming a precise and rapid temperature control in the range between 2 °C and 37 °C. The platform, which consisted of a cooling chamber, a microheater, and a temperature sensor, achieved an active feedback control of on-chip local temperature. Multiphysics simulation was conducted in the coupled modeling of heat transfer, fluid flow, and Joule heating. These modeling and simulation validated the design parameters to achieve a precise and quick control of on-chip local temperature control. The main principle of the design is to enhance the external heat transfer by utilizing micro-channel array on the chip surface and increase the sample surface versus its volume by holding the sample inside the system as an ultra-thin film. Using the precooled saturated calcium chloride aqueous solution as the coolant, and the on-chip microheater as the heating unit, the temperature was able to be precisely adjusted, and meanwhile, the temperature was sensed by a thermal sensor at the region of interest. We demonstrated an actual temperature control and manipulation of the developed microfluidic cooling/heating system. The recorded temperature data showed that the developed integrated platform offered the capability of manipulating on-chip localized temperature ranging from 2 °C to 37 °C with active cooling/heating, especially for the temperature range from 2 °C to room temperature chosen due to typical cytotoxic issues with additive cryoprotective agents (CPAs). Additionally, this device provided valuable tools for studying temperature-dependent biological and chemical processes at microscale, for example, the determination of permeability of the cell membrane to water and CPAs in cryobiology study.