Lab-on-PCB and Flow Driving: A Critical Review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Technology

Background:

• Lab-on-PCB devices integrate laboratory functions onto printed circuit boards for diverse biomedical and biochemical applications.
• Despite increasing research and potential, commercialization of these devices faces significant hurdles.
• The development of efficient and reliable flow driving systems is crucial for advancing lab-on-PCB technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and characterize active flow driving methods for lab-on-PCB devices.
• To identify the key challenges hindering the commercial application of these integrated systems.
• To provide insights into achieving reliability and reproducibility in lab-on-PCB fabrication and operation.

Main Methods:

• Review of various active flow driving techniques, including external pumps, pressurized microchambers, electrowetting on dielectrics, electroosmotic flow, and phase-change-based methods.
• Analysis of the characteristics and drawbacks of each flow driving method.
• Discussion of fabrication, material integration, sealing, and facility requirements for PCB-based microfluidic devices.

Main Results:

• Multiple flow driving methods exist, each with inherent limitations, preventing a universally optimal solution.
• Complex fabrication processes, multi-material integration, and sealing issues are major obstacles to commercialization.
• Biological applications impose stringent requirements such as transparency and biocompatibility, further complicating device design.

Conclusions:

• Overcoming fabrication complexity and ensuring reliability are essential for the successful market introduction of lab-on-PCB devices.
• Addressing the specific demands of biological applications is critical for widespread adoption.
• Further research and development are needed to optimize flow driving systems and overall device integration for robust performance.