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Reversible thermo-pneumatic valves on centrifugal microfluidic platforms
Mohammad Mahdi Aeinehvand1, Fatimah Ibrahim, Sulaiman Wadi Harun
1Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering(CIME), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. fatimah@um.edu.my.
Lab on a Chip
|July 10, 2015
Summary
A novel reversible thermo-pneumatic valve (RTPV) enables precise fluid control in centrifugal microfluidic systems. This gas-impermeable valve operates via latex film deflection, allowing real-time flow manipulation for automated biochemical assays.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics
- Biochemical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Centrifugal microfluidic systems require robust valving for automated parallel assays.
- Precise fluid control is crucial for sequential microfluidic operations.
- Existing valving techniques face challenges in real-time manipulation and consistency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and characterize a novel active valving technique for centrifugal microfluidic systems.
- To demonstrate real-time fluid flow manipulation across a range of spinning speeds.
- To validate the performance and applications of the new valve design.
Main Methods:
- Development of a reversible thermo-pneumatic valve (RTPV) using a latex film and thermal energy.
- Experimental and theoretical analysis of RTPV behavior at various rotational frequencies (700–2500 RPM).
- Integration of RTPVs into a microfluidic disk for liquid circulation and sequential aliquoting for RT-PCR.
Main Results:
- The RTPV effectively seals and reopens fluid inlets via latex film deflection.
- Operational range extended beyond 6000 RPM with an added physical component.
- Demonstrated gas impermeability and reversibility for microfluidic networks.
- Successful integration for sequential aliquoting in dengue virus RNA to cDNA conversion and PCR preparation.
Conclusions:
- The reversible thermo-pneumatic valve offers a promising solution for advanced fluid control in centrifugal microfluidics.
- RTPVs enable precise, real-time manipulation of fluid flow, enhancing automation capabilities.
- The valve's design and demonstrated applications pave the way for complex integrated microfluidic assays.
