Solenoid Driven Pressure Valve System: Toward Versatile Fluidic Control in Paper Microfluidics

Area of Science:

• Microfluidics
• Paper-based diagnostics
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Paper-based microfluidics is crucial for diagnostics, yet reliable fluidic control remains a challenge.
• Advanced microfluidic technology drives innovation, but versatile fluidic control devices need further development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel and robust paper fluidic control system for versatile fluidic management.
• To demonstrate active and repetitive valve operation in paper microfluidics.

Main Methods:

• A system comprising a linear push-pull solenoid and an Arduino Uno microcontroller was developed.
• The system precisely controls pressure on paper to stop fluid flow.
• Fluidic time delay and velocity were analyzed as a function of applied pressure.

Main Results:

• Grade 1 chromatography paper showed superior reproducibility in fluid transport.
• Flow velocity was controlled, and flow was completely stopped at pressures over 2.0 MPa.
• Actuated areas regained original flow properties, enabling multiple valve operations.

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers a robust solution for versatile fluidic control in paper microfluidics.
• This work presents the first demonstration of active, repetitive valve operation in paper microfluidics.
• A multistep enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was successfully performed as a proof of concept.