Application of magnetic microfluidic chip to chemical and electrochemical reactions

R. Aogaki - E. Ito - M. Ogata

Department of Product Design, Polytechnic University, 4-1-1, Hashimotodai, Sagamihara, 229-1196, Japan

Abstract
A new type of the microfluidic chip is proposed, which is composed of a network of magnetic channels instead of solid channels. The magnetic channels are formed by the heterogeneous magnetic field distribution (called magnetic walls or magnetic barriers) around a ferromagnetic track imbedded on a chip surface. The channel is surrounded not by solid walls, but by a liquid-liquid interface with a diamagnetic or a paramagnetic solution (called an environmental solution) supported by the magnetic wall. After injecting a solution (called a test solution) with magnetism different from the environmental solution into the channel, the test solution smoothly proceeds into the channel in a frictionless mode. In the static state, the test solution takes a tube-like shape owing to the conventional interfacial tension and the magnetic pressure. The liquid-liquid interface also behaves like a self-repairable, elastic membrane, so that the test solutions, even if mixed with bubbles and solid particles, can smoothly flow without choking. Mass and heat easily transfer through the magnetic wall, so that this system can be applied to effective reactors for various chemical and electrochemical reactions. Figs 10, Refs 27.