Automated Microfluidic System Enabled Continuous Separation of Nanoparticles with Gigahertz Acoustofluidic Tweezers

Currently, most acoustofluidic technologies are still confined to the experimental stage, lacking an automated and continuous separation system. In this paper, we present the development of an automated microfluidic system to address this gap. Our system seamlessly integrates a GHz acoustofluidic tweezers chip with microfluidic channels equipped with pneumatic microvalves, enabling contactless capture of nanoparticles. To facilitate automated and continuous operation, we have devised a sophisticated experimental protocol that precisely controls sample introduction, output, and the timing of each module. Through sustained automated cycles, our system achieves a remarkable separation efficiency of 89.03%, demonstrating a significant advancement in the field of acoustofluidics.