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Geo-material surface modification of microchips using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly for subsurface energy and
Y Q Zhang1, A Sanati-Nezhad, S H Hejazi
1Subsurface Fluidics and Porous Media Laboratory, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada. shhejazi@ucalgary.ca.
Lab on a Chip
|December 5, 2017
Summary
Researchers developed surface-mimetic micro-reservoirs (SMMR) using layer-by-layer assembly to mimic natural rock and soil surfaces for microfluidic studies. This innovation enhances subsurface flow and transport research.
Area of Science:
- Geosciences
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Microfluidic technology applications in subsurface flow are limited by the surface differences between microchips and natural porous media.
- Accurate simulation of subsurface processes requires microfluidic devices that replicate the complex surface characteristics of rocks and soils.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for creating realistic rock and soil surface analogues on microfluidic chips.
- To engineer 'surface-mimetic micro-reservoirs' (SMMR) that accurately represent natural porous media for microfluidic experiments.
Main Methods:
- Utilized layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to coat polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and glass microchips with rock-forming minerals (montmorillonite, kaolinite).
- Reconstructed clay pores in sandstone and mudrock analogues within microchannels of varying dimensions (10-250 μm width, 40-100 μm depth).
- Characterized mineral coatings using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, profilometry, and wettability measurements (contact angles).
Main Results:
- Successfully formed stable, fully-covered nano- to micro-scale mineral coatings on microchip surfaces.
- Demonstrated control over surface wettability properties of the engineered mineral surfaces.
- Validated the stability of the mineral coatings through dynamic flooding experiments.
Conclusions:
- The developed LbL assembly technique effectively creates SMMR, bridging the gap between microfluidic technology and subsurface science.
- These SMMR offer a versatile platform for advancing microfluidic applications in subsurface energy and environmental research.
- The ability to tailor surface properties and stability opens new avenues for simulating complex geological processes.
