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Xu F, Ma L, Fan Y. Air trap and removal on a pressure driven PDMS-based microfluidic device. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2024; 95:055003. [PMID: 38739426 DOI: 10.1063/5.0190337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
With the development of microfluidic technology, microfluidic chips have played a positive role in applications such as cell culture, microfluidic PCR, and nanopore gene sequencing. However, the presence of bubbles interferes with fluid flow and has a significant impact on experimental results. There are many reasons for the generation of bubbles in microfluidic chips, such as pressure changes inside the chip, air vibration inside the chip, and the open chip guiding air into the chip when driving fluid. This study designed and prepared a microfluidic device based on polydimethylsiloxane. First, air was actively introduced into the microfluidic chip, and bubbles were captured through the microfluidic device to simulate the presence of bubbles inside the chip in biological experiments. To remove bubbles trapped in the microfluidic chip, distilled water, distilled water containing surfactants, and mineral oil were pumped into the microfluidic chip. We compared and discussed the bubble removal efficiency under different driving fluids, driving pressures, and open/closed channel configurations. This study helps to understand the mechanism of bubble formation and removal in microfluidic devices, optimize chip structure design and experimental reagent selection, prevent or eliminate bubbles, and reduce the impact of bubbles on experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Xu
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Liang Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yiqiang Fan
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
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Li X, Wang F, Xia C, The HL, Bomer JG, Wang Y. Laser Controlled Manipulation of Microbubbles on a Surface with Silica-Coated Gold Nanoparticle Array. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023:e2302939. [PMID: 37496086 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202302939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Microbubble generation and manipulation play critical roles in diverse applications such as microfluidic mixing, pumping, and microrobot propulsion. However, existing methods are typically limited to lateral movements on customized substrates or rely on specific liquids with particular properties or designed concentration gradients, thereby hindering their practical applications. To address this challenge, this paper presents a method that enables robust vertical manipulation of microbubbles. By focusing a resonant laser on hydrophilic silica-coated gold nanoparticle arrays immersed in water, plasmonic microbubbles are generated and detach from the substrates immediately upon cessation of laser irradiation. Using simple laser pulse control, it can achieve an adjustable size and frequency of bubble bouncing, which is governed by the movement of the three-phase contact line during surface wetting. Furthermore, it demonstrates that rising bubbles can be pulled back by laser irradiation induced thermal Marangoni flow, which is verified by particle image velocimetry measurements and numerical simulations. This study provides novel insights into flexible bubble manipulation and integration in microfluidics, with significant implications for various applications including mixing, drug delivery, and the development of soft actuators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolai Li
- Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Fulong Wang
- Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Chenliang Xia
- Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Hai Le The
- BIOS Lab-on-a-chip, University of Twente, Enschede, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE, The Netherlands
- Physics of Fluids, Max Planck Center Twente for Complex Fluid Dynamics and J.M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Mechanics, University of Twente, Enschede, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE, The Netherlands
| | - Johan G Bomer
- BIOS Lab-on-a-chip, University of Twente, Enschede, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE, The Netherlands
| | - Yuliang Wang
- Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
- Ningbo Institute of Technology, Beihang University, Ningbo, 315832, P. R. China
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Review of Bubble Applications in Microrobotics: Propulsion, Manipulation, and Assembly. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13071068. [PMID: 35888885 PMCID: PMC9324494 DOI: 10.3390/mi13071068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, microbubbles have been widely used in the field of microrobots due to their unique properties. Microbubbles can be easily produced and used as power sources or tools of microrobots, and the bubbles can even serve as microrobots themselves. As a power source, bubbles can propel microrobots to swim in liquid under low-Reynolds-number conditions. As a manipulation tool, microbubbles can act as the micromanipulators of microrobots, allowing them to operate upon particles, cells, and organisms. As a microrobot, microbubbles can operate and assemble complex microparts in two- or three-dimensional spaces. This review provides a comprehensive overview of bubble applications in microrobotics including propulsion, micromanipulation, and microassembly. First, we introduce the diverse bubble generation and control methods. Then, we review and discuss how bubbles can play a role in microrobotics via three functions: propulsion, manipulation, and assembly. Finally, by highlighting the advantages and current challenges of this progress, we discuss the prospects of microbubbles in microrobotics.
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Gao W, Vaezzadeh N, Chow K, Chen H, Lavender P, Jeronimo MD, McAllister A, Laselva O, Jiang JX, Gage BK, Ogawa S, Ramchandran A, Bear CE, Keller GM, Günther A. One-Step Formation of Protein-Based Tubular Structures for Functional Devices and Tissues. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2001746. [PMID: 33694327 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202001746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tubular biological structures consisting of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and cells are basic functional units of all organs in animals and humans. ECM protein solutions at low concentrations (5-10 milligrams per milliliter) are abundantly used in 3D cell culture. However, their poor "printability" and minute-long gelation time have made the direct extrusion of tubular structures in bioprinting applications challenging. Here, this limitation is overcome and the continuous, template-free conversion of low-concentration collagen, elastin, and fibrinogen solutions into tubular structures of tailored size and radial, circumferential and axial organization is demonstrated. The approach is enabled by a microfabricated printhead for the consistent circumferential distribution of ECM protein solutions and lends itself to scalable manufacture. The attached confinement accommodates minute-long residence times for pH, temperature, light, ionic and enzymatic gelation. Chip hosted ECM tubular structures are amenable to perfusion with aqueous solutions and air, and cyclic stretching. Predictive collapse and reopening in a crossed-tube configuration promote all-ECM valves and pumps. Tissue level function is demonstrated by factors secreted from cells embedded within the tube wall, as well as endothelial or epithelial barriers lining the lumen. The described approaches are anticipated to find applications in ECM-based organ-on-chip and biohybrid structures, hydraulic actuators, and soft machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuyang Gao
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Nima Vaezzadeh
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Kelvin Chow
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Haotian Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Patricia Lavender
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Mark D Jeronimo
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Arianna McAllister
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Onofrio Laselva
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Jia-Xin Jiang
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Blair K Gage
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St, MaRS Center, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Shinichiro Ogawa
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St, MaRS Center, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Laboratory, Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, 101 College St, MaRS Center, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Arun Ramchandran
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Christine E Bear
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Gordon M Keller
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St, MaRS Center, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College St, MaRS Center, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Axel Günther
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
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Ma P, Wang S, Guan R, Hu L, Wang X, Ge A, Zhu J, Du W, Liu BF. An integrated microfluidic device for studying controllable gas embolism induced cellular responses. Talanta 2019; 208:120484. [PMID: 31816727 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.120484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Gas embolism is the abnormal emergence of bubble in the vascular system, which can induce local ischemic symptoms. For studying the mechanism underlying gas embolism and revealing local ischemic diseases information, novel technique for analyzing cells response to bubble contact with high controllability is highly desired. In this paper, we present an integrated microfluidic device for the precise generation and control of microbubble based on the gas permeability of polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) to study the effect of bubble's mechanical contact on cells. Cell viability analysis demonstrated that short-term (<15 min) bubble contact was generally non-lethal to cultured endothelial cells. The significant increase in intracellular calcium of the microbubble-contacted cells and cell-to-cell propagation of calcium signal in the adjacent cells were observed during the process of bubble expansion. In addition, the analysis of intercellular calcium signal in the cells treated with suramin and octanol revealed that cell-released small nucleotides and gap junction played an important role in regulating the propagation of calcium wave triggered by bubble contact. Thus, our microfluidic method provides an effective platform for studying the effect of gas embolism on cultured adherent cells and can be further needed for anti-embolism drugs test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Ma
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Shanshan Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Ruixue Guan
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Liang Hu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xixian Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Single Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Anle Ge
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Single Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Jinchi Zhu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Wei Du
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Bi-Feng Liu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
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Lin Y, Gao Y, Wu M, Zhou R, Chung D, Caraveo G, Xu J. Acoustofluidic stick-and-play micropump built on foil for single-cell trapping. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:3045-3053. [PMID: 31406970 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00484j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The majority of microfluidic devices nowadays are built on rigid or bulky substrates such as glass slides and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) slabs, and heavily rely on external equipment such as syringe pumps. Although a variety of micropumps have been developed in the past, few of them are suitable for flexible microfluidics or lab-on-a-foil systems. In this paper, stick-and-play acoustic micropump is built on thin and flexible plastic film by printing microstructures termed defended oscillating membrane equipped structures (DOMES) using two-photon polymerization. Specifically, this new micropump induces rectified flow upon the actuation of acoustic waves, and the flow patterns agree with simulation results very well. More importantly, the developed micropump has the capabilities to generate adjustable flow rates as high as 420 nL min-1, and does not suffer from problems such as bubble instability, gas dissolution, and undesired bubble-trapping that commonly occur in other forms of acoustic micropumps. Since the micropump works in stick-and-play mode, it is reusable after cleaning thanks to the easy separation of covers and substrates. Lastly, the developed micropump is applied for creating a self-pumped single-cell trapping device. The excellent trapping capability of the integrated device proves its potential for long-term studies of biological behaviors of individual cells for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Lin
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA.
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Ma J, Wang G, Jin L, Oh K, Guan BO. Photothermally generated bubble on fiber (BoF) for precise sensing and control of liquid flow along a microfluidic channel. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:19768-19777. [PMID: 31503732 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.019768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The recent development of liquid-phase chemical analyses, drug delivery, and flow cytometry requires precise sensing and control of the liquid flow in a microfluidic chip environment. The channel in microfluidic chips is getting narrower to cope with complex liquid controls on a single chip, where small-footprint sensors and actuators are in urgent demand for accurate flow management. In this study, a unique microscopic bubble-on-fiber (BoF) device that can be readily integrated to current microfluidic chips was proposed and demonstrated for in situ sensing and control of microfluidic flow rate. The single microbubble was optically generated on the gold-deposited facet of an optical fiber by the local heating due to optical absorption. The BoF is a microscopic Fabry-Perot cavity, which serves as a thermal flow sensor precisely detecting the flow-induced temperature changes in the optical frequency domain. Experimentally we achieved the minimum detectable flow rate of ~0.06 mm/s in a single microfluidic channel, which is equivalent to a volume flow rate of 22 nL/s, and a response time of ~6 s. We also demonstrated that the BoF functioned as a microfluidic valve to regulate the flow rate in a Y-shape microfluidic chip by optically varying the bubble diameter. In addition to advantages of highly integrated functionalities and microscopic form factor, the proposed BoF can obviate the usage of chemical tracer such as dyes and can provide a high sensitivity over repeated flow cycles in a highly consistent manner. The BoF is promising for the timely development of high-density lab-on-a-chip devices using its efficient liquid flow management capability.
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Parrish J, Lim KS, Baer K, Hooper GJ, Woodfield TBF. A 96-well microplate bioreactor platform supporting individual dual perfusion and high-throughput assessment of simple or biofabricated 3D tissue models. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:2757-2775. [PMID: 30117514 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00485d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Traditional 2D monolayer cell cultures and submillimeter 3D tissue construct cultures used widely in tissue engineering are limited in their ability to extrapolate experimental data to predict in vivo responses due to their simplistic organization and lack of stimuli. The rise of biofabrication and bioreactor technologies has sought to address this through the development of techniques to spatially organize components of a tissue construct, and devices to supply these tissue constructs with an increasingly in vivo-like environment. Current bioreactors supporting both parenchymal and barrier tissue constructs in interconnected systems for body-on-a-chip platforms have chosen to emphasize study throughput or system/tissue complexity. Here, we report a platform to address this disparity in throughput and both system complexity (by supporting multiple in situ assessment methods) and tissue complexity (by adopting a construct-agnostic format). We introduce an ANSI/SLAS-compliant microplate and docking station fabricated via stereolithography (SLA), or precision machining, to provide up to 96 samples (Ø6 × 10 mm) with two individually-addressable fluid circuits (192 total), loading access, and inspection window for imaging during perfusion. Biofabricated ovarian cancer models were developed to demonstrate the in situ assessment capabilities via microscopy and a perfused resazurin-based metabolic activity assay. In situ microscopy highlighted flexibility of the sample housing to accommodate a range of sample geometries. Utility for drug screening was demonstrated by exposing the ovarian cancer models to an anticancer drug (doxorubicin) and generating the dose-response curve in situ, while achieving an assay quality similar to static wellplate culture. The potential for quantitative analysis of temporal tissue development and screening studies was confirmed by imaging soft- (gelatin) and hard-tissue (calcium chloride) analogs inside the bioreactor via spectral computed tomography (CT) scanning. As a proof-of-concept for particle tracing studies, flowing microparticles were visualized to inform the design of hydrogel constructs. Finally, the ability for mechanistic yet high-throughput screening was demonstrated in a vascular coculture model adopting endothelial and mesenchymal stem cells (HUVEC-MSC), encapsulated in gelatin-norbornene (gel-NOR) hydrogel cast into SLA-printed well inserts. This study illustrates the potential of a scalable dual perfusion bioreactor platform for parenchymal and barrier tissue constructs to support a broad range of multi-organ-on-a-chip applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Parrish
- Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Group, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Musculoskeletal Medicine, Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine, University of Otago Christchurch, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
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Wang C, Cao J, Zhou Y, Xia XH. On-chip microfluidic generation of monodisperse bubbles for liquid interfacial tension measurement. Talanta 2018; 176:646-651. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.08.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Revised: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Xu L, Lee H, Jetta D, Oh KW. Vacuum-driven power-free microfluidics utilizing the gas solubility or permeability of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). LAB ON A CHIP 2015; 15:3962-79. [PMID: 26329518 DOI: 10.1039/c5lc00716j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Suitable pumping methods for flow control remain a major technical hurdle in the path of biomedical microfluidic systems for point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. A vacuum-driven power-free micropumping method provides a promising solution to such a challenge. In this review, we focus on vacuum-driven power-free microfluidics based on the gas solubility or permeability of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); degassed PDMS can restore air inside itself due to its high gas solubility or gas permeable nature. PDMS allows the transfer of air into a vacuum through it due to its high gas permeability. Therefore, it is possible to store or transfer air into or through the gas soluble or permeable PDMS in order to withdraw liquids into the embedded dead-end microfluidic channels. This article provides a comprehensive look at the physics of the gas solubility and permeability of PDMS, a systematic review of different types of vacuum-driven power-free microfluidics, and guidelines for designing solubility-based or permeability-based PDMS devices, alongside existing applications. Advanced topics and the outlook in using micropumping that utilizes the gas solubility or permeability of PDMS will be also discussed. We strongly recommend that microfluidics and lab-on-chip (LOC) communities harness vacuum energy to develop smart vacuum-driven microfluidic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linfeng Xu
- SMALL (Sensors and MicroActuators Learning Laboratory), Department of Electrical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
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