Génie chimique et biologique - Publications // Chemical and Biological Engineering - Publications

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10393/19592

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Numerical simulation of fibrous biomaterials with randomly distributed fiber network structure
(2016) Jin, Tao; Stanciulescu, Ilinca
This paper presents a computational framework to simulate the mechanical behavior of fibrous biomaterials with randomly distributed fiber networks. A random walk algorithm is implemented to generate the synthetic fiber network in 2D used in simulations. The embedded fiber approach is then adopted to model the fibers as embedded truss elements in the ground matrix, which is essentially equivalent to the affine fiber kinematics. The fiber-matrix interaction is partially considered in the sense that the two material components deform together, but no relative movement is considered. A variational approach is carried out to derive the element residual and stiffness matrices for finite element method (FEM), in which material and geometric nonlinearities are both included. Using a data structure proposed to record the network geometric information, the fiber network is directly incorporated into the FEM simulation without significantly increasing the computational cost. A mesh sensitivity analysis is conducted to show the influence of mesh size on various simulation results. The proposed method can be easily combined with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to include the influence of the stochastic nature of the network and capture the material behavior in an average sense. The computational framework proposed in this work goes midway between homogenizing the fiber network into the surrounding matrix and accounting for the fully coupled fiber-matrix interaction at the segment length scale, and can be used to study the connection between the microscopic structure and the macro-mechanical behavior of fibrous biomaterials with a reasonable computational cost.
Quantitative characterization of micromixing simulation
(2008) Zhang, Zhiyi; Yim, ChaeHo; Lin, Min; Cao, Xudong
Micromixers with floor-grooved microfluidic channels have been successfully demonstrated in experiment. In this work, we numerically simulated the mixing within the devices and used the obtained concentration versus channel length profiles to quantitatively characterize the process. It was found that the concentration at any given cross-section location of the microfluidic channel periodically oscillates along the channel length, in coordination with the groove-caused helical flow during the mixing, and eventually converges to the neutral concentration value of two the mixing fluids. With these data, the specific channel length required for each helical flow to complete, the mixing efficiency of the devices, and the total channel length required to complete a mixing were easily defined and quantified, and were used to directly and comprehensively characterize the micromixing. This concentration versus channel length profile-based characterization method was also demonstrated in quantitatively analyzing the micromixing within a classic T mixer. It has clear advantages over the traditional concentration image-based characterization method that is only able to provide qualitative or semiquantitative information about a micromixing, and is expected to find an increasing use in studying mixing and optimizing device structure through numerical simulations.
Focusing-enhanced mixing in microfluidic channels
(2008) Zhang, Zhiyi; Zhao, Ping; Xiao, Gaozhi; Lin, Min; Cao, Xudong
A focusing-based microfluidic mixer was studied. The micromixer utilizes the focusing process required for cytometry to reduce the diffusion distance of molecules to be mixed in order to facilitate the passive diffusion-controlled mixing process. It was found that both the high flow rate ratio of the sheath flow to the flows to be mixed and the low flow rate of the mixing fluids resulted in the short mixing length required within the microfluidic channel. It was shown that a complete mixing was achieved within a distance of 4 mm in the micromixer for the focused mixing fluids at a flow rate of 2 μl/min and a flow rate ratio of the sheath flow to the flows to be mixed at 4:1. The mixer described here is simple and can be easily fabricated and controlled.
Evaluation of floor-grooved micromixers using concentration-channel length profiles
(2010-11-04T19:10:55Z) Du, Yan; Zhang, Zhiyi; Yim, ChaeHo; Lin, Min; Cao, Xudong
We evaluated the dynamic micromixing performances in slanted groove micromixers (SGM) and staggered herringbone micromixers (SHM) and quantitatively compared their differences using concentration vs. channel length profiles obtained from numerical stimulations. It is found that faster and finer mixing took place in the SHM and the chaotic mixing was more effective at locations closer to the grooves; in comparison, slower and coarser mixing occurred throughout the whole channel of the SGM. Subsequently, the concentration profile-based characterization method was demonstrated in hybrid floor-grooved micromixers to study the interaction of SGM and SHM.
A simplified design of the staggered herringbone micromixer for practical applications
(2010-11-04T19:07:50Z) Du, Yan; Zhang, Zhiyi; Yim, ChaeHo; Lin, Min; Cao, Xudong
We demonstrated a simple method for the device design of a staggered herringbone micromixer (SHM) using numerical simulation. By correlating the simulated concentrations with channel length, we obtained a series of concentration versus channel length profiles, and used mixing completion length Lm as the only parameter to evaluate the performance of device structure on mixing. Fluorescence quenching experiments were subsequently conducted to verify the optimized SHM structure for a specific application. Good agreement was found between the optimization and the experimental data. Since Lm is straightforward, easily defined and calculated parameter for characterization of mixing performance, this method for designing micromixers is simple and effective for practical applications.
Electrospun biocomposite polycaprolactone/collagen tubes as scaffolds for neural stem cell differentiation
(2010-08-30T15:33:21Z) Hackett, Joanne M.; Dang, ThucNhi T.; Tsai, Eve C.; Cao, Xudong
Studies using cellular therapies, scaffolds, and tubular structured implants have been carried out with the goal to restore functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). None of these therapeutic strategies, by themselves, have been shown to be sufficient to achieve complete restoration of function. To reverse the devastating effects of SCI, an interdisciplinary approach that combines materials science and engineering, stem cell biology, and neurosurgery is being carried out. We are currently investigating a scaffold that has the ability to deliver growth factors for the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous stem cells. Neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from mice are being used to assess the efficacy of the release of growth factors from the scaffold in vitro. The fabrication of the tubular implant allows a porous scaffold to be formed, which aids in the release of growth factors added to the scaffold.

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