Magnetic Polymers for Magnetophoretic Separation in Microfluidic Devices

Magnetophoresis offers many advantages for manipulating magnetic targets in microsystems. The integration of micro-flux concentrators and micro-magnets allows achieving large field gradients and therefore large reachable magnetic forces. However, the associated fabrication techniques are often complex and costly, and besides, they put specific constraints on the geometries. Magnetic composite polymers provide a promising alternative in terms of simplicity and fabrication costs, and they open new perspectives for the microstructuring, design, and integration of magnetic functions. In this review, we propose a state of the art of research works implementing magnetic polymers to trap or sort magnetic micro-beads or magnetically labeled cells in microfluidic devices.

Automated summary

Magnetophoresis offers advantages for manipulating magnetic targets in microsystems by achieving large field gradients, but complex fabrication techniques and specific geometrical constraints are drawbacks. Magnetic composite polymers provide a promising alternative with lower fabrication costs and simplicity, opening new perspectives for magnetic function integration in microsystems. This review presents research implementing magnetic polymers to trap or sort magnetic micro-beads or magnetically labeled cells in microfluidic devices.