Physicists develop basic principles for mini-labs on chips

Date:
September 16, 2020
Source:
Universita"t Bayreuth
Summary:
Colloidal particles have become increasingly important for research
as vehicles of biochemical agents. In future, it will be possible to
study their behavior much more efficiently than before by placing
them on a magnetized chip. A research team has discovered that
colloidal rods can be moved on a chip quickly, precisely, and in
different directions. A pre-programmed magnetic field even enables
these controlled movements to occur simultaneously.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Colloidal particles have become increasingly important for research
as vehicles of biochemical agents. In future, it will be possible to
study their behaviour much more efficiently than before by placing them
on a magnetised chip. A research team from the University of Bayreuth
reports on these new findings in the journal Nature Communications. The scientists have discovered that colloidal rods can be moved on a chip
quickly, precisely, and in different directions, almost like chess
pieces. A pre-programmed magnetic field even enables these controlled
movements to occur simultaneously.


==========================================================================
For the recently published study, the research team, led by
Prof. Dr. Thomas Fischer, Professor of Experimental Physics at the
University of Bayreuth, worked closely with partners at the University
of Pozna'n and the University of Kassel. To begin with, individual
spherical colloidal particles constituted the building blocks for rods
of different lengths. These particles were assembled in such a way as
to allow the rods to move in different directions on a magnetised chip
like upright chess figures -- as if by magic, but in fact determined by
the characteristics of the magnetic field.

In a further step, the scientists succeeded in eliciting individual
movements in various directions simultaneously. The critical factor here
was the "programming" of the magnetic field with the aid of a mathematical code, which in encrypted form, outlines all the movements to be performed
by the figures.

When these movements are carried out simultaneously, they take up to
one tenth of the time needed if they are carried out one after the other
like the moves on a chessboard.

"The simultaneity of differently directed movements makes research into colloidal particles and their dynamics much more efficient," says Adrian
Ernst, doctoral student in the Bayreuth research team and co-author of
the publication. "Miniaturised laboratories on small chips measuring
just a few centimetres in size are being used more and more in basic
physics research to gain insights into the properties and dynamics
of materials. Our new research results reinforce this trend. Because
colloidal particles are in many cases very well suited as vehicles for
active substances, our research results could be of particular benefit
to biomedicine and biotechnology," says Mahla Mirzaee- Kakhki, first
author and Bayreuth doctoral student.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Universita"t_Bayreuth. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Mahla Mirzaee-Kakhki, Adrian Ernst, Daniel de las Heras, Maciej
Urbaniak,
Feliks Stobiecki, Jendrik Go"rdes, Meike Reginka, Arno Ehresmann,
Thomas M. Fischer. Simultaneous polydirectional transport of
colloidal bipeds.

Nature Communications, 2020; 11 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18467-9 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916113606.htm

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