A scalable approach for high throughput branch flow filtration

Abstract

Microfluidic continuous flow filtration methods have the potential for very high size resolution using minimum feature sizes that are larger than the separation size, thereby circumventing the problem of clogging. Branch flow filtration is particularly promising because it has an unlimited dynamic range (ratio of largest passable particle to the smallest separated particle) but suffers from very poor volume throughput because when many branches are used, they cannot be identical if each is to have the same size cut-off. We describe a new iterative approach to the design of branch filtration devices able to overcome this limitation without large dead volumes. This is demonstrated by numerical modelling, fabrication and testing of devices with 20 branches, with dynamic ranges up to 6.9, and high filtration ratios (14–29%) on beads and fungal spores. The filters have a sharp size cutoff (10× depletion for 12% size difference), with large particle rejection equivalent to a 20th order Butterworth low pass filter. The devices are fully scalable, enabling higher throughput and smaller cutoff sizes and they are compatible with ultra low cost fabrication.