Active liquid degassing in microfluidic systems.
We present a method for efficient air bubble removal in microfluidic applications. Air bubbles are extracted from a liquid chamber into a vacuum chamber through a semipermeable membrane, consisting of PDMS coated with amorphous Teflon(®) AF 1600. Whereas air is efficiently extracted through the membrane, water loss is greatly reduced by the Teflon even at elevated temperatures. We present the water loss and permeability change with the amount of added Teflon AF to the membrane. Also, we demonstrate bubble-free, multiplex DNA amplification using PCR in a PDMS microfluidic device.
Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Osquldas väg 10, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden. tommyhar@kth.se.
J Mikael
JM
Karlsson
Muriel
M
Gazin
Sanna
S
Laakso
Tommy
T
Haraldsson
Surbhi
S
Malhotra-Kumar
Minna
M
Mäki
Herman
H
Goossens
Wouter
W
van der Wijngaart
D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D005740:Gases; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; C528539:poly(dimethyldiphenylsiloxane); D014867:Water; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene