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Optimum kinetic performance of open‐tubular separations in microfluidic devices
Author(s) -
Eghbali Hamed,
Desmet Gert
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of separation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.72
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1615-9314
pISSN - 1615-9306
DOI - 10.1002/jssc.200600464
Subject(s) - capillary action , channel (broadcasting) , microfluidics , kinetic energy , yield (engineering) , materials science , aspect ratio (aeronautics) , mechanics , analytical chemistry (journal) , optics , nanotechnology , chemistry , chromatography , optoelectronics , computer science , physics , composite material , telecommunications , quantum mechanics
A survey is made of the different factors contributing to the kinetic performance of open‐tubular separation channels. Being representative for most of the channels used in microfluidic devices, the main focus is on channels with a rectangular format. Kinetic plots of t 0 / N 2 versus N are established to allow for a visual selection of the ideal channel format and dimensions. These plots for example show that in the pressure‐driven mode a channel with a flat‐rectangular crosssection (top and bottom wall covered by a retentive layer) can always yield slightly faster (some 15%) separations than a cylindrical capillary, provided the channel depth is optimized. If the channel depth is fixed, the optimal w/d ‐ratio depends on the required plate number. In electrically driven flows, the situation is reversed and rectangular channels with a small width are to be preferred, and the cylindrical capillary format becomes the best format.