Thermophoresis
(in space)

ISS: Thermophoresis in quiescent non-Newtonian fluids for bioseparations
MaRVIn-TABOOS

Great day of science after getting things set over the last couple of days.  Nothing works perfectly in space, but we were pretty happy with the results!

There are many natural and industrial processes where nanoscale particles suspended in a fluid move as a result of a temperature gradient known as thermophoresis.  Thermophoresis impacts a wide variety of processes, such as drug delivery and bioseparations utilized for detecting viruses.  However, our current understanding of thermophoresis is limited.  Prior experimental studies have conflicting evidence, making the determination of the fundamental mechanisms that drive particle motion difficult.  Very few prior studies have considered the motion of these particles in more complex fluids and gels.  

One key limitation is that it is difficult to separate the impact of thermophoresis from thermally-driven fluid flow that results from fluid recirculation due to temperature-dependent fluid density and gravity.  To overcome this limitation, this project will pair terrestrial experiments with those in microgravity onboard the International Space Station (ISS) where buoyancy-driven flow is negligible.  The goal is to determine the fundamental physics and chemistry driving thermophoresis in both simple and complex fluids, and use this information for enhancing viral separation platforms by optimizing fluid properties. In an era when disease control is influencing the lives of everyone on Earth, this work will focus on developing enhanced and robust microfluidic viral-load detection devices.

Dr. Maria Chiara Roffin and Nazrin Hasanova working on sample fabrication and microscope testing at the HST Building on Lehigh's campus.