Microparticle trajectories in a high-throughput channel for contact-free fractionation by dielectrophoresis

•A continuous, contact-free dielectrophoretic microparticle separator is proposed.•Model predicting particle trajectory within the separator was experimentally validated.•Theoretical fractionation resolution improves with increased voltage, reduced collector width and volume flow rate.•High throughput can be achieved by trading-off design and operation parameters.

Continuous, contact-free fractionation of sensitive microparticles at high throughput is a challenge. For this purpose, we developed a sheath flow assisted dielectrophoretic (DEP) field-flow separator with a tailored arrangement of cylindrical interdigitated electrodes (cIDE) and observed size-dependent trajectories of dispersed particles. Using a voltage input of 200 Veff at a frequency of 200 kHz, polystyrene particles (45, 25, and 11 µm in diameter) levitated to different heights along the channel length due to a negative DEP force. Experimental observations agree well with simulated particle trajectories that were obtained by a modified Lagrangian particle tracking model in combination with Laplace's and Navier–Stokes equations. By exploiting the size-dependent levitation height difference the desired particle size fraction can be collected at a specific channel length. The required channel length of the proposed cIDE separator increases with decreasing particle size to be separated. The quality of theoretical fractionation, which we quantify by resolution, improves strongly with reduced collector width, reduced volume flow rate and increased voltage input. The sensitivity of these dependencies increases with decreasing particle size. We calculated a theoretical throughput of up to 47 mL min−1 when trading-off design and operation parameters, allowing for contact-free fractionation of sensitive microparticles with negligible shear stress.