Acoustofluidics uses ultrasonic forces and torques to manipulate cells and micro/nanoparticles in microfluidic structures such as microchannels, microchambers, and droplets. The theoretical underpinning of this field involves a combination of acoustics, fluid and solid mechanics, and thermodynamics at the microscale. The acoustofluidics technology is centered on developing well-suited chips for hosting cell-based assays for enrichment, separation, patterning, aggregation, and deformation, to list a few examples. The chip concept and fabrication might be a laborious task. On the one hand, numerical simulations represent an important tool for chip design. Computer simulations can be used in normal mode analysis of microcavities, calculating acoustic energy landscapes for cell trapping, and investigating single and multiphase fluid flow. On the other hand, designed chips are fabricated through etching processes, soft lithography, and additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, among other methods. In the end, acoustofluidic systems find applications from liquid biopsy to biomolecular detection to drug response assays to point-of-care diagnostic.
Research in acoustofluidics involves different physics and engineering disciplines as acoustics, solid and fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics at the microscale. This multifaceted character is responsible for the complex behavior of acoustofluidic systems. Some key aspects of the field are still needed to be better understood. Some examples include the optimization and precise control of acoustic landscapes for cell and microparticle handling, the effects of physical and material properties on systems' performance, and accurate models and experiments for the mean acoustic fields (radiation forces and torques) generated particle-wave interaction. Advancements in the field may also benefit from novel trends in device fabrication aimed at lowering the costs of manufacturing processes.
Acoustofluidics harbors a thriving realm of applications in life sciences, biotechnology, and chemistry. Improvements in techniques for cell enrichment in dilute media, cell-cell interaction analysis, incubation and washing of cells are a few examples. Integration of acoustofluidic systems with biosensory methods is also an important subject in the development of the field.
Our primary goal in this Research Topic is to promote discussions on new trends in the underpinning theoretical and numerical methods of acoustofluidic systems, emerging device fabrication technologies and integration with biosensors, and applications to biotechnology and life sciences.
We seek contributions to this Research Topic covering fundamental theory and numerical modeling, chip design and fabrication, and applications to life sciences, biotechnology, and analytical chemistry. We welcome articles as Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspectives covering a range of topics, but not limited to:
• Theoretical, numerical, and experimental methods for the acoustic radiation force, torque, and acoustic streaming in thermoviscous fluids at the micro and nanoscale
• Ultrasonic wave engineering for particle manipulation
• New trends and approaches in device fabrication, including soft lithography and additive manufacturing techniques
• Integrated systems with other particle manipulation methods used in microfluidics
• Development and enhancement of new platforms combined with biosensor systems
• Applications to cell-based assays, microbiology, virology, and biomolecular analysis
Acoustofluidics uses ultrasonic forces and torques to manipulate cells and micro/nanoparticles in microfluidic structures such as microchannels, microchambers, and droplets. The theoretical underpinning of this field involves a combination of acoustics, fluid and solid mechanics, and thermodynamics at the microscale. The acoustofluidics technology is centered on developing well-suited chips for hosting cell-based assays for enrichment, separation, patterning, aggregation, and deformation, to list a few examples. The chip concept and fabrication might be a laborious task. On the one hand, numerical simulations represent an important tool for chip design. Computer simulations can be used in normal mode analysis of microcavities, calculating acoustic energy landscapes for cell trapping, and investigating single and multiphase fluid flow. On the other hand, designed chips are fabricated through etching processes, soft lithography, and additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, among other methods. In the end, acoustofluidic systems find applications from liquid biopsy to biomolecular detection to drug response assays to point-of-care diagnostic.
Research in acoustofluidics involves different physics and engineering disciplines as acoustics, solid and fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics at the microscale. This multifaceted character is responsible for the complex behavior of acoustofluidic systems. Some key aspects of the field are still needed to be better understood. Some examples include the optimization and precise control of acoustic landscapes for cell and microparticle handling, the effects of physical and material properties on systems' performance, and accurate models and experiments for the mean acoustic fields (radiation forces and torques) generated particle-wave interaction. Advancements in the field may also benefit from novel trends in device fabrication aimed at lowering the costs of manufacturing processes.
Acoustofluidics harbors a thriving realm of applications in life sciences, biotechnology, and chemistry. Improvements in techniques for cell enrichment in dilute media, cell-cell interaction analysis, incubation and washing of cells are a few examples. Integration of acoustofluidic systems with biosensory methods is also an important subject in the development of the field.
Our primary goal in this Research Topic is to promote discussions on new trends in the underpinning theoretical and numerical methods of acoustofluidic systems, emerging device fabrication technologies and integration with biosensors, and applications to biotechnology and life sciences.
We seek contributions to this Research Topic covering fundamental theory and numerical modeling, chip design and fabrication, and applications to life sciences, biotechnology, and analytical chemistry. We welcome articles as Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspectives covering a range of topics, but not limited to:
• Theoretical, numerical, and experimental methods for the acoustic radiation force, torque, and acoustic streaming in thermoviscous fluids at the micro and nanoscale
• Ultrasonic wave engineering for particle manipulation
• New trends and approaches in device fabrication, including soft lithography and additive manufacturing techniques
• Integrated systems with other particle manipulation methods used in microfluidics
• Development and enhancement of new platforms combined with biosensor systems
• Applications to cell-based assays, microbiology, virology, and biomolecular analysis
