Power-free poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic devices for gold nanoparticle-based DNA analysis†
Abstract
An extremely simple, power-free pumping method for poly(dimethylsiloxane)
(PDMS) microfluidic devices is presented. By exploiting the high gas solubility of PDMS, the energy for the pumping is pre-stored in the degassed bulk PDMS, therefore no additional structures other than channels and reservoirs are required. In a Y-shaped microchannel with cross section of 100 µm width × 25 µm height, this method has provided flow rate of 0.5–2 nL s−1, corresponding to linear velocity of 0.2–0.8 mm s−1, with good reproducibility. As an application of the power-free pumping,