The unique integration of cross-flow allows continuous purification in an open-channel format and operation without a membrane.

There is a high demand for improve nanoparticle separation techniques, with a wide variety of applications from basic research to commercial medical devices such as hemodialysis.

This technology describes a new high speed cross-flow split-thin-flow-cell separation microsystem. This new technique takes a cross flow as the major driving force for efficient separation/purification of a sample compared to already existing devices and techniques. The microsystem consists of a flow unit with two fluidic channels (made up of different materials of differing thickness) separated by a splitter layer of thin Mylar that expands the “diffusion length” in the channel while maintaining the small channel dimensions. The separation system can be used for a wide variety of applications, including: biofuel production and purification, environmental monitoring, nanoparticle purification and characterization, or eliminating blood toxins during hemodialysis. The technology can be further adapted for research institutions requiring pure samples of various nanoparticles for a wide variety of research, including chemical engineering, pharmaceutical and biological applications. Presently, the development of the separation microsystem is focused toward the reduction of toxins such as beta-2-microglobulin and para thyroid hormone from blood which are not efficiently removed with current state of the art dialysis machines.

• High resolution separation of in complex samples
• Continuous purification in open-channel
• Eliminates membranes that lead to biocompatibility or fouling tissues.
• Separates compounds too small for current membrane technologies to filter.

Merugu S, Sant HJ, Gale BK. Diffusion Split-Flow Thin Cell (SPLITT) system for protein separations. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2012;902:78-83. doi:10.1016/j.jchromb.2012.06.029

Aaron Duffy
(801) 585-1377
aaron.duffy@utah.edu