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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays
18:11

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays

Published on: October 1, 2007

Electrostatically-driven elastomer components for user-reconfigurable high density microfluidics.

Meng-Ping Chang1, Michel M Maharbiz

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. mpchang@umich.edu

Lab on a Chip
|April 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary

This study introduces a user-reconfigurable elastomer microfluidic system using electrostatic actuation. This scalable, non-pneumatic platform enables on-the-fly control for complex microfluidic total analysis systems.

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Area of Science:

  • Microfluidics
  • Materials Science
  • Electrical Engineering

Background:

  • Traditional microfluidic systems often rely on complex pneumatic control.
  • Achieving very large scale integration (VLSI) in microfluidics presents significant challenges in terms of control and scalability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design, fabricate, and characterize a novel electrostatically actuated, user-reconfigurable elastomer microfluidic system.
  • To enable VLSI microfluidics through a scalable, non-pneumatic platform.

Main Methods:

  • Incorporation of thin film metal flexures into PDMS to create self-closing elastomer channels.
  • Digital synthesis of 15-20 V, 5 MHz signals via microcontroller and RF amplifier IC for electrostatic actuation.
  • Arrangement of valves in hexagonal or quadricular arrays with a 75% fill factor.

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High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods
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High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods

Published on: December 23, 2013

Reconfigurable Microfluidic Channel with Pin-discretized Sidewalls
10:39

Reconfigurable Microfluidic Channel with Pin-discretized Sidewalls

Published on: April 12, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays
18:11

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays

Published on: October 1, 2007

High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods
07:51

High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods

Published on: December 23, 2013

Reconfigurable Microfluidic Channel with Pin-discretized Sidewalls
10:39

Reconfigurable Microfluidic Channel with Pin-discretized Sidewalls

Published on: April 12, 2018

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated self-closing of elastomer channels at low voltages (15-20 V) without pneumatics.
  • Achieved on-the-fly reconfigurability of channels, valves, and pumps (permanently closed, open, or addressable).
  • Characterized flow and pressure, demonstrating pumping, mixing, splitting, and circulating capabilities for various phases.

Conclusions:

  • The developed technology is compatible with standard PDMS microfluidics and drivable by commercial CMOS ICs.
  • This non-pneumatic platform offers a scalable solution for VLSI microfluidic total analysis systems.
  • The system effectively displaces aqueous, gaseous, and lipid phases.