Euler Force-Driven Siphon Valve Control for Precise Sequential Release in Centrifugal Microfluidic Chips

Controlling the fluids in centrifugal microfluidic chips for precise sequential release is critical for multi-step reactions and immunoassays. Currently, the traditional methods of liquid sequential release mainly rely on various types of microvalves, which face the problems of complex operation and high costs. Here, this work presents a method for driving liquid release using the Euler force. Under continuous acceleration and deceleration, the centrifugal and Euler forces can transfer the liquid from the sample chamber to the collection chamber. The liquid sequential release mechanism based on the Euler force was analyzed, which showed that the angular acceleration is key to the liquid release. Then, the geometrical parameters affecting the angular acceleration of complete release were investigated and simulated. Finally, based on the relationship between the geometrical parameters of the connecting channels and the angular acceleration of complete release, a simple and precise sequential release structure was designed, which allowed for a sequential and stable transfer of the liquid into the reaction chamber. The results showed that the proposed method is capable of transferring liquid, and its simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and ease of operation enable precise sequential liquid release in centrifugal microfluidic platforms.