Microfluidic chips
Microfluidic chips, also known as lab-on-a-chip devices or micro-total analysis systems (μTAS), are small-scale integrated systems that manipulate and control fluids on a microscopic scale. These chips are typically made of materials such as glass, silicon, or polymers and contain a network of microchannels, chambers, and valves.
Microfluidic chips enable precise control and analysis of fluids at the microscale, which is beneficial in various scientific and engineering applications. They leverage principles from microfabrication techniques, such as photolithography and soft lithography, to create intricate microchannel structures on the chip’s surface.
These chips can handle small volumes of liquid, often in the microliter or nanoliter range. The fluid flow within the chip can be controlled using techniques like pressure-driven flow, electrokinetic flow, or capillary action. By integrating different functional elements, such as pumps, valves, mixers, filters, and sensors, microfluidic chips can perform complex fluidic operations in a compact and efficient manner.
Microfluidic chips have a wide range of applications in various fields, including:
- Biomedical Research: Microfluidic chips are used for cellular analysis, DNA sequencing, proteomics, drug discovery, and point-of-care diagnostics. They enable the miniaturization of experiments, reduce reagent consumption, and facilitate high-throughput screening.
- Clinical Diagnostics: These chips can be used for rapid and accurate analysis of patient samples, including blood, urine, and saliva. They offer the potential for portable, point-of-care diagnostic devices with applications in disease detection, monitoring, and personalized medicine.
- Environmental Monitoring: Microfluidic chips can be employed for environmental analysis, including water quality monitoring, pollutant detection, and environmental sensing. They offer the advantage of real-time, on-site analysis with increased sensitivity and reduced costs.
- Chemical and Biological Synthesis: Microfluidic chips enable precise control over chemical reactions and synthesis processes. They find applications in organic chemistry, material science, and the production of nanoparticles, microcapsules, and microspheres.
- Industrial and Manufacturing Processes: These chips have utility in process control, quality monitoring, and optimization in industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and food production.
The field of microfluidics continues to evolve, and researchers are exploring new applications and developing advanced chip designs to enhance performance, functionality, and integration with other analytical techniques.
Microfluidics Devices
Ultra-low volume liquid dispensing is now often used to create the latest Microfluidics devices. While the bulk of the manufacturing involves conventional machining, lithography, embossing, injection molding, etc, there comes a point where the device needs to be functionalized with biological or chemical content. Also known as Lab-on-a-chip devices, their design and usability can be improve via the pre-loading of various reagents, as dried spots, versus having all the reagents come from external sources.
Microfluidics Services
Whether you need microfluidic devices for studying how fluids behave in microchannels or for lab-on-a-chip technological solutions, axiVEND has best-in-class service leveraged from the latest ultra-low volume high precision liquid deposition systems and the most experienced team in the industry to deliver your concept from R&D to manufacturing. We are highly sought out by engineering teams across a wide variety of sectors to develop diagnostic and testing devices using microfluidics and are trusted for our no-hype fact-based processes that deliver functioning technology at competitive prices and fast turnaround times.
Lab-On-A-Chip Microfluidic Devices
One of the primary purposes of today’s highly advanced microfluidic devices is manufacturing them to be laboratories-on-a-chip: an integration enablement system that puts nearly all of the processes required for complete biological, chemical, and biomedical protocols on a single microfluidic chip. At axiVEND we produce microfluidic devices for clients in several service fields and branches of research, including the biomedical field, cell biology research, protein crystallization, drug screening, glucose tests, food testing, forensics, and more.
The latest improvements to the design and usability of microfluidic devices are via the pre-loading of various reagents, as dried spots, versus having all the reagents come from external sources. Our process makes microfluidic devices much more simple and user-friendly (especially within PoNT- and PoCT-purposed use), involving microfluidic cartridge reagent loading, dispensing reagents, coating of microfluidic chambers, and reagent immobilization in microfluidic devices that eliminate the need for liquid interfaces to run to the instrument.
These simple-to-use microfluidic devices offer you more benefits than the flexibility of using outside of a laboratory only. By dispensing reagents in liquid form onto the chip surface during manufacturing and allowing the spots to dry, the reagent becomes much more stable and can give the device a longer shelf life. There is also achieved much better chemical and/or biological compatibility with the reagent(s) to be stored, as well as the elimination of substance leaching that will affect the assay.
Microfluidic cartridge reagent loading can face challenges to manufacturing workflow due to complexities and the number of reagents needed in a device (as well as its prescribed shelf life). Our process uses state-of-the-art reagent immobilization in microfluidic devices to allow sufficient time for reagent preparation while still facilitating scalability and mass production after the assay development stage.
Why Partner With axiVEND
Apart from our advanced processes using the latest technology to deliver you long-lasting, highly-functional microfluidic devices, our best-in-class customer service brings you unparalleled value. We are uniquely able to help you with your test development efforts, are always available for consultation, and give you a free quote – with no minimum order requirements! Our overall skills range from robotics and automation skills, to assay development and optimization, to deep understanding of immobilization methods and associated chemistries, to the art of selecting the most suitable liquid dispensing modality. You can leverage the expertise and skill of our team to help you attain the technology fast. Reach out to us today through our Contact Page.
We offer a range of products, from spotter and microarray imagers, to label-free binding measurement systems.
