Vacuum‐driven fluid manipulation by a piezoelectric diaphragm micropump for microfluidic droplet generation with a rapid system response time

Recently, we developed a convenient microfluidic droplet generation device based on vacuum‐driven fluid manipulation with a piezoelectric diaphragm micropump. In the present study built on our previous work, we investigate the influence of settings applied to the piezoelectric pump, such as peak‐to‐peak drive voltage (V_p‐p) and wave frequency, on droplet generation characteristics. Stepwise adjustments to the drive voltage in ±10‐V_p‐p increments over the range of 200?250 V_p‐p during droplet creation revealed that the droplet generation rate could be reproducibly controlled at a specific drive voltage. The droplet generation rate switched within <0.5 s after the input of a new voltage. Although the droplet generation rate depended on the drive voltage, this setting had almost no influence on droplet size. The frequency over the selected range (50?60 Hz) did not markedly influence the droplet generation rate or droplet size. We show that the current fluid manipulation system can be conveniently used for both droplet generation and for rapid droplet reading, which is required in many microfluidic‐based applications.     

压电双晶片驱动的压电微泵的研究

介绍了一种基于MEMS技术的压电微泵。该微泵利用聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)作为泵膜,利用双面湿法腐蚀形成被动阀,并利用压电双晶片作为驱动部件。对压电双晶片的理论变形量和压电微泵的泵腔变化量、泵腔压缩比进行了理论分析,并对其输出流量进行了测试。在100 V、20 Hz的方波驱动下,该压电微泵的最大输出流量为317μL/min。结果显示该压电微泵的制作工艺简单,具有良好的流体驱动性能。     

基于磁流体的微泵的研究进展

首先介绍了基于磁流体微泵的工作原理,并且根据Navier-Stokes公式推导出了磁流体在梯度磁场中所产生的驱动力大小。然后,回顾了磁流体微泵的发展历程,对各阶段磁流体微泵的产生进行了研究,梳理出了各磁流体微泵的发展脉络,并且详细描述了各微泵的结构特点以及优缺点。最后,简单展望了磁流体微泵的发展趋势,指出磁流体微泵发展中存在的问题,例如磁流体的制备、磁流体微致动理论体系不完善和新型磁流体微泵的设计等,并针对这些问题提出了有效的解决方案。     

A new type of micropump driven by a low electric voltage

In this paper, we propose a new prototype model of a micro pump using ICPF (Ionic Conducting Polymer Film) actuator as the servo actuator. This micro pump consists of two active oneway valves that make use of the same ICPF actuator. The overall size of this micro pump prototype is 12mm in diameter and 20 mm in length. The actuating mechanism is as follows: (1) The ICPF actuator as the diaphragm is bent into anode side by application of electricity. Then the volume of the pump chamber increases, resulting in the inflow of liquid from the inlet to the chamber. (2) By changing the current direction, the volume of the pump chamber decreases, resulting in the liquid flow from the chamber to the outlet. (3) The ICPF actuator is put on a sine voltage, the micro pump provides liquid flow from the inlet to the outlet continuously. Characteristic of the micro pump is measured. The experimental results indicate that the micro pump has the satisfactory responses.     

An electro-osmotic micro-pump based on monolithic silica for micro-flow analyses and electro-sprays

A high-pressure electro-osmotic micro-pump fabricated by a sol–gel process is reported as a fluid-driving unit in a flow-injection analysis (FIA) system. The micro FIA system consists of a monolithic micro-pump on a glass slide (2.5×7.5 cm), a micro-injector, and a micro-sensor (2.5×1.5 cm). The monolithic silica matrix has a continuous skeleton morphology with micrometer-sized through-pores. The micrometer-size pores with a large negative surface charge density build up a large pressure under a DC electric field to drive fluid through the downstream units. A novel Nafion joint for the downstream cathode eliminates flow into the electrode reservoir and further enhances pressure build-up. The measured pump-pressure curve indicated a maximum pressure of 0.4 MPa at flow rate of 0.4 L min^–1 at 6 kV. Despite the large voltage, the small current transmission area through the monolith produced a negligible current (less than 100 A) that did not generate bubbles or ion contaminants. The flow rate can be precisely controlled in the range 200 nL to 2.5 L min^–1 by varying the voltage from 1 to 6 kV. The high pump pressure and the large current-free DC field also enabled the pump to act as an electro-spray interface with a downstream analytical instrument.     

PZT压电薄膜无阀微泵的制备工艺及实验研究

介绍了一种基于PZT薄膜的无阀压电微泵。该微泵利用聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)作为泵膜,自制的压电圆型薄膜片作为驱动部件,采用收缩管/扩张管结构,压电圆型致动片和PDMS泵膜的组合可产生较大的泵腔体积改变。在对微泵制备工艺研究的基础上,对其性能进行了实验研究,结果表明:电压和频率对流速均有显著影响。在7.5 V1、80 Hz的正弦电压驱动下,该压电微泵的最大输出流速为2.05μL/min。该文制作的微泵具有流量稳定,驱动电压较低,性能稳定可靠和易控制等优点,可满足微流体系统的使用要求。     

The dynamic characteristics of a valve-less micropump

The aim of this paper is to investigate the dynamic characteristics of a valve-less micropump. A dynamic mathematical model of the micropump based on a hydraulic analogue system and a simulation method using AMESim software are developed. By using the finite-element analysis method, the static analysis of the diaphragm is carried out to obtain the maximum deflection and volumetric displacement. Dynamic characteristics of the valve-less micropump under different excitation voltages and frequencies are simulated and tested. Because of the discrepancy between simulation results and experimental data at frequencies other than the natural frequency, the revised model for the diaphragm maximum volumetric displacement is presented. Comparison between the simulation results based on the revised model and experimental data shows that the dynamic mathematical model based on the hydraulic analogue system is capable of predicting dynamic characteristics of the valve-less micropump at any excitation voltage and frequency.     

φ2mm微马达驱动旋转式微泵

在生物医学、化学液体的流量检测与分析及固态元器件冷却等领域中,均需要流量的精细控制和检测系统。在这类流量精细控制和检测系统中,微小型泵是一个基本元件。作者利用上海交通大学研制成功的、由微细加工工艺制备的、直径为2mm的电磁型微马达作驱动源,并配以电火花加工工艺制备的蜗壳和Ti合金叶轮制成旋转式微泵。微泵的外形尺寸为φ4．5×6．5mm,最大流量可达12ml／min,流量可根据马达转速进行调节。     

无阀压电微泵的动态特性研究

微泵作为微流控系统中的核心控制元件已成为MEMS研究的热点，现主要研究了无阀式压电微泵的工作原理及其动态工作特性。实验表明，无阀压电微泵的流速随频率呈抛物线关系变化，最佳工作频率为1250Hz。在频率固定时，微泵流速随驱动电压的升高而增加。泵膜的厚度对于微泵的性能影响很大，相同条件下，较薄的泵膜具有更高的流速，且泵膜越薄，其性能对于频率的变化越敏感。电压为50V时，微泵最大流量可达1．695μL/min。总体看来，无阀压电微泵结构简单，驱动电压较低，性能稳定可靠。     

Rotibot: Use of Rotifers as Self‐Propelling Biohybrid Microcleaners

Self‐propelled biohybrid microrobots, employing marine rotifers as their engine, named “rotibot,” are presented and their practical utility and advantages for environmental remediation are demonstrated. Functionalized microbeads are attached electrostatically within the rotifer mouth and aggregated inside their inner lip. The high fluid flow toward the mouth, generated by the strokes of rotifer cilia bands, forces an extremely efficient transport of the contaminated sample over the active surfaces of the functionalized microbeads. The reactive particles confined around the rotifer's lip are thus exposed to a high flow rate of the pollutant solution, resulting in dramatically accelerated decontamination processes, without external mixing or harmful fuels. Theoretical simulations, modeling the greatly enhanced fluid dynamic associated with such built‐in mixing effect, correlate well with the experimental observations. The rotibot thus proves to be an effective, versatile, and robust dynamic microcleaning platform for removing diverse environmental pollutants. Microbeads functionalized with lysozyme and organophosphorus hydrolase enzymes are shown to be extremely useful for enzymatic biodegradation of Escherichia coli and the nerve agent methyl paraoxon, respectively, while ligand (meso‐2,3‐dimercaptosuccinic acid) modified beads are used for removing heavy metal contaminants. Rotifer‐based biohybrid microrobots hold considerable promise as self‐propelling dynamic pumps for diverse large‐scale environmental remediation applications.