Integration of low-power microfluidic pumps with biosensors within a laboratory-on-a-chip device

We describe the fabrication of a controllable microfluidic valve coupled with an electrochemical pump, which has been designed to deliver reagents to an integrated microfluidic biosensing system. Fluid, retained within an insertion reservoir using a stop valve, was pumped using electrochemical actuation, providing a low power, low voltage integrated Laboratory-on-a-Chip for reproducible, small volume fluidic manipulation. The properties of the valve were characterized using both X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements, enabling the calculation of the magnitude of the forces involved (which were subsequently verified through experimental measurement). Electrochemical generation of oxygen and hydrogen acted as an on-demand pressure system to force fluid over the stop valve barrier. The process of filling-up the biosensing chamber was characterized in terms of the time to fill, the energy used, and the peak power consumed. The potential of the device was illustrated using a glucose biosensor.