A Microfluidic Diluter Based on Pulse Width Flow Modulation

• We demonstrate that pulse width flow modulation (PWFM) can be used to design fasts accurate, and precise multi-stage dilution modules for microfluidic devices. The PWFM stage unit presented here yields 10-fold dilution, but several PWFM stages can be connected in series to yield higher-order dilutions. We have combined two stages in a device thus capable of diluting up to 100-fold, and we have experimentally determined a set of rules that can be conveniently utilized to design multistage diluters. Microfabrication with resist-based molds yielded geometrical channel height variances of 7% (22.9(16) mu m) with corresponding hydraulic resistance variances of similar to 20%. Pulsing frequencies, channel lengths, and flow pressures can be chosen within a wide range to establish the desired diluter properties. Finally, we illustrate the benefits of on-chip dilution in an example application where we investigate the effect of the Ca2+ concentration on a phospholipid bilayer spreading from a membrane reservoir onto a SiO2 surface. This is one of many possible applications where flexible concentration control is desirable.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Fysikalisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Physical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

biosensors

hydrophilic surfaces

networks

nanoliter-scale

liposomes

generation

dynamic chemical signals

membranes

bilayers

device

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art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)