Inertial and viscous flywheel sensing of nanoparticles

Georgios Katsikis, Jesse F. Collis, Scott M. Knudsen, Vincent Agache, John E. Sader () and Scott R. Manalis ()
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Georgios Katsikis: Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jesse F. Collis: The University of Melbourne
Scott M. Knudsen: Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Vincent Agache: Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
John E. Sader: The University of Melbourne
Scott R. Manalis: Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Rotational dynamics often challenge physical intuition while enabling unique realizations, from the rotor of a gyroscope that maintains its orientation regardless of the outer gimbals, to a tennis racket that rotates around its handle when tossed face-up in the air. In the context of inertial sensing, which can measure mass with atomic precision, rotational dynamics are normally considered a complication hindering measurement interpretation. Here, we exploit the rotational dynamics of a microfluidic device to develop a modality in inertial sensing. Combining theory with experiments, we show that this modality measures the volume of a rigid particle while normally being insensitive to its density. Paradoxically, particle density only emerges when fluid viscosity becomes dominant over inertia. We explain this paradox via a viscosity-driven, hydrodynamic coupling between the fluid and the particle that activates the rotational inertia of the particle, converting it into a ‘viscous flywheel’. This modality now enables the simultaneous measurement of particle volume and mass in fluid, using a single, high-throughput measurement.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25266-3

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