Implementation and Characterization of a Quake Microvalve Using Thermoplastic Materials for Lab on a Chip Applications

Authors

1 Electrical Engineering Department, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

2 Orthopedic Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing attention in developing inexpensive and easy microfluidic chips fabrication techniques using new materials from thermoplastic group. This is because of excellent properties of thermoplastics which can overcome the issues associated to poly(dimethylsiloxane). In the current investigation, an inexpensive, easy and rapid fabrication method was introduced and optimized to develop microfluidic chips using thermoplastic materials in which laser micromachining and thermal fusion bonding were used. Laser micromachining was used for cutting and engraving of poly(methyl methacrylate) sheets and thermoplastic polyurethane film. After alignment of layers, thermal fusion bonding was used to bond the layers and a Quack microvalve was successfully implemented for microfluidic applications. Repeatability, reliability and leakage free tests were done for various liquid and control pressures in which, results show that fabricated microvalve can block liquid channel without any leakage. Finally, interference effect of a channel’s valves on the neighboring channel was also studied to extend this work for lab on a chip design and applications.

Keywords

References

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TABRIZ JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Volume 48, Issue 3 - Serial Number 85
November 2018
Pages 1047-1058

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