Microfluidics is the movement of tiny amounts of fluid and microfluidic chips are the small devices that these fluids flow through. There are several kinds of microfluidic chip, each tailored to different applications. A microfluidic chip can function on its own, be fitted into a larger microfluidic device, or the chip’s in- and outlets can be connected to an external device that controls the flow.
Each microfluidics chip contains a specific pattern of engraved or molded microchannels for the fluid to move through. Inside these channels, the fluid is transported or altered to achieve a particular goal – whether it’s detecting pathogens, as with a COVID-19 self-test, or DNA sequencing and analysis. Microfluidic chip manufacturers will design each chip’s channel pattern and in- and outlets for this goal.
Our patented microfluidics chip system – the Creoptix WAVEchip – is uniquely designed for the Creoptix WAVEsystem. The WAVEchip’s innovative design integrates all the microfluidics into a disposable cartridge rather than the device core, and places large bore standard valves downstream in the instrument instead of having microvalves near the chip.
Right: Section view of WAVEchip, showing microfluidics integrated into the disposable cartridge by placing the downstream valves instead of microvalves near the microfluidic chip.
The WAVEchip’s microfluidics cartridges contain four parallel flow cells.
Typically, one flow cell is used as a reference to account for bulk effects. In this reference cell, either no ligand or a reference ligand is immobilized.
On the four-channel WAVEdelta system, the reference channel can be freely configured; on the two-channel system, only two flow cells can be used for each experiment, but the choice of reference channel is still free.
This design enables ultra-fast transitions – which means you can analyze weakly binding fragments in 150 minutes, for reliable determination of off-rates of 10 s-1. The self-contained, disposable design of the cartridges also eliminates contamination, to protect your samples and ensure more reliable data.
Together with the Creoptix WAVEsystem’s no-clog technology, the WAVEchip’s chemical-friendly cartridge design also gives it the broadest sample compatibility of any microfluidics chip on the market. In fact, this level of compatibility is only normally possible with plate-based assays.
Specifically, WAVEchips are compatible with high concentrations of DMSO, acetonitrile, and other harsh organic solvents, as well as viscous detergents. This allows you to explore solubilization and purification conditions for membrane proteins. WAVEchips can also support 100% serum, plasma, and cell supernatant, crude samples, pathogenic and virus-like particles, and large particles of up to 1,000 nm.
See the WAVEsystem in action in our video!
WAVEsystemNext-generation bioanalytical instruments for drug discovery and life sciences for both industry and academic research |
WAVEchipNo-clog microfluidic sensor chip for every need |
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Microfluidics | ||
Grating-Coupled Interferometry (GCI) | ||
Label-free detection |