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May 6, 2008 -- Dolomite, a MEMS/microfluidics specialist based in the U.K., says it has been working with Newcastle University to explore using microfluidics to synthesize nanoparticles for biochemistry applications.
For this project Dolomite created a custom glass MEMS microchip with multiple reaction chambers. This was manufactured undertaking processes such as lithographic patterning, isotropic etching of glass substrates and the accurate thermal bonding of glass substrates.
"The manufacture of this type of device is a very complex process," said Dr Gillian Davis, Commercial Director at Dolomite. "However, microfluidics offers high efficiency, versatility, speed, and economy of analysis. This technology also has a very low consumption of reagents and analytes, so it brings both cost and environmental benefits to bioscience and drug discovery projects. Furthermore, its greatest advantage is the ability to perform parallel-array or multidimensional types of analyses in a small localised environment."
The nanoparticle synthesis project at Newcastle University is headed by Mike Loughran, Team Leader Microfluidics & Sensor Technologies, at the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials. Working with Dolomite and Dr Andrea Beck from HAS Budapest, Loughran has been exploring how, in the future, scientists will be able to control specific chemical reactions in a localized microchip environment, enabling different nanoparticles to be designed for a specific purpose -- e.g the synthesis of silicon based fluorescent nanoparticles (quantum dots) to label biomolecules for diagnostic assays, polymeric nanosensors for intracellular analysis and drug delivery, and catalytic nanoparticles for specific chemistries or for purification by adsorbing pollutants.
"I am very happy with the professionalism and attention to detail that I have received from Dolomite," said Mike. "In particular I am very impressed with the speed of the processing, alignment and bonding of the glass microchips . . . Previously I waited months for clean room glass processing. With Dolomite it was completed within weeks and to a much higher standard."
Established in 2005 as "the world's first microfluidic application centre," (according to the company) Dolomite won funding from the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry's Micro and Nano Technology (MNT) Manufacturing Initiative that same year. The funding has allowed Dolomite to establish microfabrication facilities, with cleanrooms, precision glass processing facilities and applications laboratories. In addition to this, Dolomite has managed to attract top quality engineering and scientific staff with strong backgrounds across the broad range of disciplines required for success in bringing microfluidics applications to market.
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