Development of microfluidic devices for on-site water quality testing using glass molding process.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Increasing demand for multi-point water quality monitoring for safe drinking water and industrial environmental protection.
• Need for compact, low-cost, and durable on-site devices resistant to outdoor conditions (UV, temperature).
• Previous work demonstrated a compact, low-cost resin-based microfluidic water quality meter.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extend glass molding fabrication for creating robust glass microfluidic devices.
• To develop a low-cost, high-durability device for on-site water quality analysis.
• To specifically create a device for measuring residual chlorine with enhanced durability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a glass microfluidic device with a 300 µm deep channel on a 50 mm diameter substrate using an extended glass molding method.
• Application of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating to the channel surface for enhanced durability and chemical resistance.
• Development and testing of the device for measuring residual chlorine.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated a glass microfluidic device with improved depth and substrate size using glass molding.
• The diamond-like carbon-coated channel demonstrated high robustness and durability.
• The device proved capable of withstanding outdoor environmental conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed low-cost, highly robust glass microfluidic device is suitable for on-site water quality monitoring.
• The device can endure harsh outdoor conditions, making it ideal for real-world applications.
• This technology can be integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) devices for continuous chemical analysis, such as residual chlorine detection.