Abstract: A microfluidic detection unit comprises at least one fluid injection section, a fluid storage section and a detection section. Each fluid injection section defines a fluid outlet; the fluid storage section is in gas communication with the atmosphere and defines a fluid inlet; the detection section defines a first end in communication with the fluid outlet and a second end in communication with the fluid inlet. A height difference is defined between the fluid outlet and the fluid inlet along the direction of gravity. When a first fluid is injected from the at least one fluid injection section, the first fluid is driven by gravity to pass through the detection section and accumulate to form a droplet at the fluid inlet, such that a state of fluid pressure equilibrium of the first fluid is established.

Abstract: A paper-based micro-concentrator includes a bearing substrate, a fluid reservoir unit, a filter paper, an external electric field, an ion exchange membrane and a magnet. The fluid reservoir unit includes a first buffer solution tank and a second buffer solution tank, which are interval disposed on the bearing substrate. The filter paper is disposed on the bearing substrate, and two ends of the filter paper are respectively placed in the first buffer solution tank and the second buffer solution tank. The external electric field includes a cathode and an anode, which are respectively placed in the first buffer solution tank and the second buffer solution tank. The ion exchange membrane is disposed on the filter paper and close to the first buffer solution tank. The magnet is movably disposed under the bearing substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a microfluidic device, including a bottom substrate, an electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) chip, a circuit board, a dielectric film, and a motor. The EWOD chip is disposed on the bottom substrate, and the circuit board is arranged on the EWOD chip. The circuit board includes a circuit area that is electrically connected to the EWOD chip, and the empty area is adjacent to the circuit area and the EWOD chip is exposed. The dielectric film is disposed on the empty area of the circuit board and covers the exposed EWOD chip. The motor is disposed under the bottom substrate, and one end of the motor has a magnetic structure, so that the magnetic structure can move closer to or away from the bottom substrate.

Abstract: A microfluidic detection unit comprises at least one fluid injection section, a fluid storage section and a detection section. Each fluid injection section defines a fluid outlet; the fluid storage section is in gas communication with the atmosphere and defines a fluid inlet; the detection section defines a first end in communication with the fluid outlet and a second end in communication with the fluid inlet. A height difference is defined between the fluid outlet and the fluid inlet along the direction of gravity. When a first fluid is injected from the at least one fluid injection section, the first fluid is driven by gravity to pass through the detection section and accumulate to form a droplet at the fluid inlet, such that a state of fluid pressure equilibrium of the first fluid is established.

Abstract: A method for detecting albumin based on a colorimetric assay and a system thereof are disclosed. Gold nanoparticles are added into the sample preparing device having a sample without spectroscopic tags, wherein the sample without spectroscopic tags is formed as the alkaline solution to avoid the interference substances adhering on the gold nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles are concentrated by using the microfluidic concentrator with the circular ion exchange membrane by applying an external electric field across two electrodes. The image of the concentrated gold nanoparticles is captured by the image capturing device for measuring the saturation intensities of the image, wherein there is a relation between the saturation intensities and the concentration of the albumin in the sample without spectroscopic tags. The concentration of the albumin of the sample without spectroscopic tags is obtained by the relation and the measured saturation intensities.

Abstract: A method for detecting albumin based on a colorimetric assay and a system thereof are disclosed. Gold nanoparticles are added into the sample preparing device having a sample without spectroscopic tags, wherein the sample without spectroscopic tags is formed as the alkaline solution to avoid the interference substances adhering on the gold nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles are concentrated by using the microfluidic concentrator with the circular ion exchange membrane by applying an external electric field across two electrodes. The image of the concentrated gold nanoparticles is captured by the image capturing device for measuring the saturation intensities of the image, wherein there is a relation between the saturation intensities and the concentration of the albumin in the sample without spectroscopic tags. The concentration of the albumin of the sample without spectroscopic tags is obtained by the relation and the measured saturation intensities.

Abstract: A method for obtaining the binding kinetic rate constants using fiber optic particle plasmon resonance (FOPPR) sensor, suitable for a test solution with two or more concentrations, which employs the following major steps: providing one FOPPR sensor instrument system, obtaining optical time-resolved signal intensities starting at the initial time to the steady state of the two or more regions, substituting the measured signal intensity values into the formula which is derived by using the pseudo-first order rate equation model. In addition, this method measures the temporal signal intensity evolution under static conditions as the samples are quickly loaded. As a result, unlike the conventional device where the sample is continuously infused, the method is able to measure the association and dissociation rate constants of which the upper bounds are not limited by the sample flow rate.

Abstract: A method of examining the purity of dendrimers is revealed. It comprises steps of measuring a light scattering intensity of a set of pure standards having a specific molecular weight with a static laser light scattering detector by use of flow injection polymer analysis; establishing a scaling relation by doing a regression of a ratio of the light scattering intensity per concentration (I/c) against molecular weight (M.W.); measuring the light scattering intensity of a dendrimer to be tested having the same unit and surface-modified functional group as the set of pure standards, and examining the purity of the dendrimer to be tested according to the scaling relation.

Abstract: A method for detecting optical signals, a microfluidic mixing chip having light emitting compound and a system thereof are provided. The microfluidic mixing system comprises the microfluidic mixing chip, an electrode pairs and a power supplier. The microfluidic mixing chip comprises a first side cavity, a second side cavity and a mixing cavity. The mixing cavity is disposed between the first side cavity and the second side cavity. The mixing cavity further contains the light emitting compound, a catalyst and a redox reagent. The electrode pair is respectively disposed to the first side cavity and the second cavity. The power supplier supplies a power source with high frequency alternating current electric field. By utilizing the power source with alternating current electric field, the light emitting compound, the redox reagent and the catalyst are mixed in the mixing cavity to generate a chemiluminescence or bioluminescence optical signal to detect.

Abstract: A method for obtaining the binding kinetic rate constants using fiber optic particle plasmon resonance (FOPPR) sensor, suitable for a test solution with two or more concentrations, which employs the following major steps: providing one FOPPR sensor instrument system, obtaining optical time-resolved signal intensities starting at the initial time to the steady state of the two or more regions, substituting the measured signal intensity values into the formula which is derived by using the pseudo-first order rate equation model. In addition, this method measures the temporal signal intensity evolution under static conditions as the samples are quickly loaded. As a result, unlike the conventional device where the sample is continuously infused, the method is able to measure the association and dissociation rate constants of which the upper bounds are not limited by the sample flow rate.

Abstract: A method for estimating binding kinetic rate constants by using a fiber optic particle plasmon resonance (FOPPR) sensor mainly employs the steps of: providing a FOPPR sensor instrument system, obtaining optical signal intensities at an initial time and steady state signal intensities of first and second regions in an intensity versus time graph separately, substituting the measured signal intensity values into a formula derived by using a pseudo-first order rate equation model. According to this method, no fluorophore labeling is required. In addition, this method measures a temporal signal intensity evolution under static conditions as the samples are quickly loaded. As a result, unlike the conventional device where the sample is continuously infused, the method is able to measure binding and decomposition rate constants whose upper limit is not limited by a sample flow rate.

Abstract: A microfluidic device with microstructure includes a channel for accommodating an electrolytic solution therein and at least one microstructure formed in the channel. When an alternating-current signal is input to the microfluidic device so that a surface of the microstructure is polarized by a generated electric field, ions having polarity reverse to that of an electrolytic solution will migrate to the surface of the microstructure to form a field-induced electrical double layer to result in electro-osmotic flows at the corners at two sides of the microstructure, which causes formation of relatively fierce circular vortices in the solution. A sensing system and a sensing method using the microfluidic device with microstructure are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for detecting optical signals, a microfluidic mixing chip having light emitting compound and a system thereof are provided. The microfluidic mixing system comprises the microfluidic mixing chip, an electrode pairs and a power supplier. The microfluidic mixing chip comprises a first side cavity, a second side cavity and a mixing cavity. The mixing cavity is disposed between the first side cavity and the second side cavity. The mixing cavity further contains the light emitting compound, a catalyst and a redox reagent. The electrode pair is respectively disposed to the first side cavity and the second cavity. The power supplier supplies a power source with high frequency alternating current electric field. By utilizing the power source with alternating current electric field, the light emitting compound, the redox reagent and the catalyst are mixed in the mixing cavity to generate a chemiluminescence or bioluminescence optical signal to detect.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for concentrating particles or molecules and an apparatus thereof. The apparatus comprises a substrate, a conducting granule having nano-pores or nano-channels capable of permitting ion permeation, an electrolyte solution comprising counter-ions having an opposite electric property to the conducting granule, and an external field. Wherein, particles or molecules to be concentrated have an identical electric property as the conducting granule at a predefined pH value, and are added into the electrolyte solution with the predefined pH value. While the external electric field is applied across the reservoir where the conducting granule is sitting, the counter-ions exit from the nano-pores or nano-channels and such that a transient ion super-concentration phenomenon occurs at an ejecting pole on the conducting granule so as to concentrate the particles or molecules. Hence the present invention has potential application in bead-based molecular assays.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for concentrating charged particles and an apparatus thereof. The method comprises: providing a substrate comprising a reservoir; disposing a conducting granule in the reservoir, the conducting granule being negatively charged or positively charged and comprising nano-pores or nano-channels capable of permitting ion permeation; disposing a buffer solution in the reservoir, the buffer solution comprising counter-ions having an opposite electric property to the conducting granule; adding the charged particles into the buffer solution, the charged particles being co-ions having an identical electric property as the conducting granule; and applying an external electric field on the conducting granule.

Abstract: A microfluidic device with microstructure includes a channel for accommodating an electrolytic solution therein and at least one microstructure formed in the channel. When an alternating-current signal is input to the microfluidic device so that a surface of the microstructure is polarized by a generated electric field, ions having polarity reverse to that of an electrolytic solution will migrate to the surface of the microstructure to form a field-induced electrical double layer to result in electro-osmotic flows at the corners at two sides of the microstructure, which causes formation of relatively fierce circular vortices in the solution. A sensing system and a sensing method using the microfluidic device with microstructure are also disclosed.

Abstract: A microfluid mixer is provided. The non-linear electrokineticsis is applied to the design of the microfluid mixer. The microfluid mixer comprises a first and a second microfluidic elements, a mixing reservoir, and a micro channel unit, wherein the micro channel unit has at least two control channels for respectively connecting the first and the second microfluidic elements and the mixing reservoir. When two microfluids are mixed in the mixing reservoir, the electro-osmosis fluid field of the microfluids in the control channel of the mixing reservoir is changed by applying AC signal, such that powerful chaotic mixing effect is therefore produced by the two microfluids in the mixing reservoir.