A Multilayer Polymer-Film Inertial Microfluidic Device for High-Throughput Cell Concentration

We report here a novel multilayer polymer-film inertial microfluidic (MPIM) device with complex three-dimensional (3D) fluidic paths for realizing the massive parallelization of multiplexing functional channels. The proposed MPIM device is fabricated by simply stacking different polymer-film channel layers and adhesive layers. As a prototype demonstration, an MPIM device with multiplexing radially arrayed serpentine channels has been designed and fabricated. Seven functional layers are stacked in a vertical direction to create the 3D fluidic paths for realizing the functions of inertial cell concentration, fluid convergence, and flow resistance adjustment in an all-in-one device with a thickness of only 1.4 mm. Then, the physics and the concentration performances of our MPIM device are explored. The results indicate that our MPIM device is capable of concentrating various particles at a throughput up to 8 mL/min. Finally, we successfully apply our MPIM device to the high-throughput concentration of microalgae and trace tumor cells from large background fluids. We envision the wide application of our MPIM device as a low-cost "on-chip centrifuge" for the concentration of various bioparticles.