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Electrowetting-based Digital Microfluidics Platform for Automated Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay
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Simulation and experimentation of a microfluidic device based on electrowetting on dielectric.
Ling-Sheng Jang1, Guo-Hua Lin, Yi-Liang Lin
1Department of Electrical Engineering and Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan. lsjang@ee.ncku.edu.tw
Biomedical Microdevices
|May 24, 2007
Summary
Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) systems enable precise microfluidic control. This study validates a numerical model for simulating droplet manipulation, including transportation, cutting, and creation, with experimental data.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics
- Surface Science
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) offers advantages for microfluidic applications, such as precise control of small fluid volumes.
- Existing EWOD systems require validation through numerical modeling and experimental comparison.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present and validate a numerical model for simulating fluid dynamics in an EWOD system.
- To elucidate the complete EWOD phenomenon by comparing simulation results with experimental data.
Main Methods:
- A numerical model using CFD-ACE+ was developed based on reduced mass conservation and momentum equations.
- An EWOD system comprising microfluidic device, control electronics, and specific electrode materials (Au/Cr, nitride, Teflon, ITO-glass) was utilized.
- Experimental validation involved droplet transportation, cutting, and creation at various DC voltages.
Main Results:
- Simulations accurately predicted droplet dynamics, including transportation at 6 mm/s (40 Vdc).
- Droplet division was simulated and experimentally observed to occur within 0.12 s (60 Vdc).
- Successful creation of a 347 nl droplet from an on-chip reservoir was achieved at 60 Vdc.
Conclusions:
- The validated numerical model provides a reliable tool for simulating EWOD-driven microfluidic systems.
- EWOD technology demonstrates effective control over droplet manipulation for microfluidic applications.
- This work confirms the feasibility of EWOD for precise droplet handling, including creation and division.
