AdaptoCell is a microfluidic sample environment available to academic and industrial users. AdaptoCell is available to users at Balder (X-ray absorption spectroscopy; contact Kajsa) and CoSAXS (small angle X-ray scattering; contact Ann), and under development at BioMAX/MicroMAX (serial crystallography; contact Monika). The platform allows for different types of studies of liquid samples under flow in microfluidic channels.

Microfluidic chip and mixing of reagents in droplets

One of the main advantages of having the sample under flow is to minimize the risk of radiation damage as the sample volume hit by the X-ray beam is continuously refreshed. Other advantages include small sample volume and the possibility to perform time-resolved experiments such as in situ mixing.

Microfluidic devices

Different microfluidic devices are available depending on the specific needs of the experiments. Both commercial polymer microfluidic chips (from Microfluidic ChipShop) and adapted custom-made devices in other materials such as glass-silicon-glass (in collaboration with Customized Microfluidics, Uppsala University) are available. Example of designs available are straight channels, hydrodynamic flow focusing channels, droplet generators and mixing channels. A special designed COC polymer co-flow chip for XAS and SAXS with different channel depth is available at MAX IV (see below for use at Balder).

Adaptocell
New co-flow chip in use at the Balder beamline. Example of XAS (XANES & EXAFS) data recorded using the chip.

Beamline stations and off(beamline) test station

To control the flows in the microfluidic channels users can select to use either a pressure driven flow system with flow sensors (Elveflow) or high precision syringe pumps (Cetoni). Various microfluidic accessories e.g. valves, T-junctions and connectors are also available.

For mounting the chips at the beamlines microfluidic chip holders are available. At CoSAXS the chip holder has integrated heating to allow for experiments at 37° C.

In the biological support lab there is an off(beamline) test station equipped with an optical microscope available for users to test their systems before the beamtime. In the biological support lab there is also equipment available to test the samples before and after the experiments using other techniques e.g. DLS and UV-vis.

The microfluidic setup at CoSAXS and the off(beamline) test station in the biological support lab

Project members

For more information please contact the project team.

Dr. Kajsa Sigfridsson ClaussPI, Balder MAX IV
Dr. Anna FornellAlumni, Postdoc, MAX IV
Dr. Yang ChenBio and Chem lab manager, MAX IV
Dr. Ann TerryResearcher, CoSAXS MAX IV
Monika BjelcicPostdoc, MicroMAX MAX IV
Dr. Ross FrielResearcher, Halmstad University
Dr. Laurent BarbeResearcher, Uppsala University
Dr. Pushparani Micheal RajAlumni, Postdoc, MAX IV
Page manager: Kajsa Sigfridsson Clauss February 5, 2024