Integrated Microfluidic Membrane Transistor Utilizing Chemical Information for On-Chip Flow Control

PLoS One. 2016 Aug 29;11(8):e0161024. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161024. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Microfluidics is a great enabling technology for biology, biotechnology, chemistry and general life sciences. Despite many promising predictions of its progress, microfluidics has not reached its full potential yet. To unleash this potential, we propose the use of intrinsically active hydrogels, which work as sensors and actuators at the same time, in microfluidic channel networks. These materials transfer a chemical input signal such as a substance concentration into a mechanical output. This way chemical information is processed and analyzed on the spot without the need for an external control unit. Inspired by the development electronics, our approach focuses on the development of single transistor-like components, which have the potential to be used in an integrated circuit technology. Here, we present membrane isolated chemical volume phase transition transistor (MIS-CVPT). The device is characterized in terms of the flow rate from source to drain, depending on the chemical concentration in the control channel, the source-drain pressure drop and the operating temperature.

MeSH terms

  • Membranes
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods
  • Microfluidics / instrumentation*
  • Microfluidics / methods*
  • Pressure
  • Temperature

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Research Training Group 1865 "Hydrogel-based Microsystems", Recipients: PF, SH (URL: http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/list/projectdetails/index.jsp?id=211944370); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, EXC 1056 "Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden", Recipients: JS, AV (URL: http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/list/projectdetails/index.jsp?id=194636624); and Free State Saxony "Diagnostic Integrated Chemicl Circuits", Recipient: GP. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.