A Novel Mechanism to Make Microfluidic Components and Systems Requiring No Mechanically Moving Parts

PI's Name, Institution: Zonglu Susan Hua, SUNY-Buffalo Proposal Number: 0201293 Proposal Title: A Novel Mechanism to Make Microfluidic Components and Systems Requiring No Mechanical Moving Parts Project Abstract: The research is focused on developing a novel mechanism for actuation that would enable fabrication of various microfluidic components that require no moving mechanical parts. The novel actuation mechanism is based on electrochemistry to generate bubbles, which acts as control elements of a microfluidic system. This method is intrinsically low power in nature, requires a simple on-chip electronics circuitry, and the control elements are self-repairing. Detailed studies are being performed on making valves, pumps, switches, and fluid logic system. The experimental studies are being complemented with fundamental investigation of bubble formation, including bubble nucleation and collapse as a function of pressure, applied voltage, flow rate, and interface conditions between the bubble and microchannel walls. These studies are of fundamental as well as technological interest in fields ranging from microbiology, biotechnology, and drug delivery, to combinatorial and analytical chemistry. The educational, training, and outreach includes hands-on experience by graduate as well as undergraduate students, along with specific high school summer program targeted at women and minorities. It is providing students with important training in areas such as microfabrication technology, thin film growth, metrology, device fabrication, testing, and characterization.