Plug-in nanoliter pneumatic liquid dispenser with nozzle design flexibility

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Microfluidics
• Instrumentation

Background:

• Accurate and efficient dispensing of nanoliter volumes is crucial for various scientific applications.
• Existing liquid handling systems can be cumbersome and lack flexibility in integration and operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel plug-in nanoliter liquid dispensing system with a plug-and-play interface.
• To demonstrate a strategy for volume gradient dispensing using multinozzle configurations.
• To present a practical, pencil-type dispensing system as a pipette alternative.

Main Methods:

• Development of a modular, plug-in type nanoliter liquid dispenser.
• Utilizing a plug-and-play interface for rapid assembly and operation.
• Pneumatic dispensing of nanoliter droplets and analysis of volume-dependency on nozzle size.
• Design and fabrication of multinozzle dispensers for volume gradient generation.

Main Results:

• Achieved a minimum dispensed droplet volume of 124 nl with a coefficient of variation of 1.6%.
• Demonstrated a linear relationship between dispensed volume and nozzle size.
• Successfully developed multinozzle dispensers capable of volume gradient dispensing.
• Created a pencil-type dispensing system for practical, rapid micro-volume liquid handling.

Conclusions:

• The proposed plug-in dispenser offers simple, reversible, and robust integration for nanoliter liquid handling.
• Nozzle size is a dominant factor in controlling dispensed volume, enabling flexible dispenser design.
• The system provides a practical and efficient alternative to conventional pipettes for minute volume dispensing.