Electrowetting (EW)-based valve combined with hydrophilic teflon microfluidic guidance in controlling continuous fluid flow.
Electrowetting (EW)-based techniques have been widely used in manipulating discrete liquid. However, few articles discussed the controlling of continuous fluid flow by using EW-based techniques. In this paper, an EW-based valve combined with plasma-modified Teflon surface, which serves as a microfluidic guidance, in controlling continuous fluid flow has been demonstrated. The plasma-modified Teflon surface is firstly demonstrated for confining continuous fluid flow. The EW-based microfluidic device possesses the functions of a valve and a microchannel without complex moving parts and grooved microchannels. The quantitative characteristics of the EW-based valve are also studied. Propylene carbonate (PC) is firstly demonstrated as the working liquid in the EW-based device because of its applications in parallel oligonucleotide synthesis. It is found that lower valve actuation voltage reduces the deterioration of the valve and improves the valve stability.
Cheng
Ji-Yen
JY
Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan. jycheng@gate.sinica.edu.tw
Hsiung
Lo-Chang
LC
D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000737:chemistry*; D011407:Propane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D017155:Wettability
D012996:Solutions; C045990:propylene carbonate; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011407:Propane