High-performance PCB-based capillary pumps for affordable point-of-care diagnostics

Area of Science:

• Microfluidics
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Capillary pumps are essential for passive microfluidic devices, enabling precise liquid displacement without active components.
• They are crucial for sample preparation in Point-of-Care (PoC) diagnostic platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize high-performance capillary pumps using Lab-on-Printed-Circuit-Board (LoPCB) technology.
• To demonstrate the fabrication of these pumps on standard Printed Circuit Board (PCB) substrates.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of capillary pumps entirely on PCB substrates using commercial manufacturing processes.
• Integration of pumps with microfluidic channels of varying hydraulic resistances.
• Experimental characterization of pump performance with different micropillar shapes and feature sizes.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated successful fabrication of diverse PCB-based capillary pump architectures.
• Achieved significantly higher capillary pump flow rates (up to 138 μL/min) compared to glass, silicon, or polymer devices.
• Attributed enhanced performance to the superhydrophilic properties of oxygen plasma-treated FR-4 PCB substrates.

Conclusions:

• LoPCB technology enables the creation of high-performance capillary pumps with superior flow rates.
• This approach offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for microfluidic applications, particularly in PoC diagnostics.
• Future prospects include integrating complex microfluidic networks for tailored assay development.