| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 736970 | Sensors and Actuators A: Physical | 2014 | 8 Pages |
•A curved top-wall flow cell is proposed to improve the response consistency in SPR array detection.•A universal mathematical relation between the mass transport rate and the flow cell height was established and the optimal flow cell geometry for analyte distribution uniformity was derived.•The actual flow regimes within the novel flow cell were confirmed by micro-PIV experiments and results agreed with expectations.•Goat-anti-rabbit IgG and rabbit IgG interaction experiments were performed on a SPR imaging system using both the novel and conventional flow cells.•The novel flow cell significantly reduced the coefficient of variance of association rate across the sensing surface.
High spatially consistent responses are desired for the array-based biomolecular interaction analysis. The response consistency is dependent on the uniformity of mass transport rate. Based on theoretical analysis, we established a universal mathematical relation between the mass transport rate and the flow cell height. The optimal flow cell geometry for analyte distribution uniformity, H(l) = 1/3 · l−1/2, was derived from the mathematical relation. Using Poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer replica molding methods, the flow cell was fabricated. The actual flow regimes within the flow cell were confirmed by micro-PIV experiments and results agreed with expectations. To demonstrate the capability of this flow cell in improving spatial consistency of responses, goat-anti-rabbit IgG and rabbit IgG interaction experiments were performed on a home-built SPR imaging system. Results showed that the curved top-wall flow cell significantly reduced the coefficient of variance of association rate across the sensing surface.
