Design and simulation of sample pinching utilizing microelectrodes in capillary electrophoresis microchips

Abstract

The paper proposed novel designs to pinch the transverse diffusion of the sample in the injection mode using microelectrodes to generate the potential difference at the channel intersection in the capillary electrophoresis (CE) microchip. A pair of microelectrodes was used to conduct the injection channel and the separation channel, which directly provided the potential to pinch the sample without using a power supply. These new designs of the CE microchip simplify the electric circuitry and improve performance. Simulations were performed using the CFD-ACE™ software. The mechanisms of diffusion and electrophoresis were employed in the numerical simulation. The injection and separation processes of the sample were simulated and the parameters of the present design were investigated numerically.