Issue 29, 2013

Control and manipulation of microfluidic flow via elastic deformations

Abstract

We utilize elastic deformations via mechanical actuation to control and direct fluid flow within a flexible microfluidic device. The device consists of a microchannel with a flexible arch prepared by the buckling of a thin elastic film. The deflection of the arch can be predicted and controlled using the classical theory of Euler buckling. The fluid flow rate is then controlled by coupling the elastic deformation of the arch to the gap within the microchannel, and the results compared well with analytical predictions from a perturbation calculation and numerical simulations. We demonstrate that placement of these flexible valves in series enables directed flow towards regions of externally applied mechanical stress. The simplicity of the experimental approach provides a general design for advanced functionality in portable microfluidics, self-healing devices, and in situ diagnostics.

Graphical abstract: Control and manipulation of microfluidic flow via elastic deformations

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Apr 2013
Accepted
29 Apr 2013
First published
08 May 2013
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Soft Matter, 2013,9, 7049-7053

Control and manipulation of microfluidic flow via elastic deformations

D. P. Holmes, B. Tavakol, G. Froehlicher and H. A. Stone, Soft Matter, 2013, 9, 7049 DOI: 10.1039/C3SM51002F

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