title: Bubble-free and pulse-free fluid delivery into microfluidic devices.
abstract: The bubble-free and pulse-free fluid delivery is critical to reliable operation of microfluidic devices. In this study, we propose a new method for stable bubble-free and pulse-free fluid delivery in a microfluidic device. Gas bubbles are separated from liquid by using the density difference between liquid and gas in a closed cavity. The pulsatile flow caused by a peristaltic pump is stabilized via gas compressibility. To demonstrate the proposed method, a fluidic chamber which is composed of two needles for inlet and outlet, one needle for a pinch valve and a closed cavity is carefully designed. By manipulating the opening or closing of the pinch valve, fluids fill up the fluidic chamber or are delivered into a microfluidic device through the fluidic chamber in a bubble-free and pulse-free manner. The performance of the proposed method in bubble-free and pulse-free fluid delivery is quantitatively evaluated. The proposed method is then applied to monitor the temporal variations of fluidic flows of rat blood circulating within a complex fluidic network including a rat, a pinch valve, a reservoir, a peristaltic pump, and the microfluidic device. In addition, the deformability of red blood cells and platelet aggregation are quantitatively evaluated from the information on the temporal variations of blood flows in the microfluidic device. These experimental demonstrations confirm that the proposed method is a promising tool for stable, bubble-free, and pulse-free supply of fluids, including whole blood, into a microfluidic device. Furthermore, the proposed method will be used to quantify the biophysical properties of blood circulating within an extracorporeal bypass loop of animal models.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea ; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yang Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eunseop
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.affiliation: Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eunseok
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea ; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
references.citation: J Microelectromech Syst. 2009 Nov 13;18(6):1246-1254
references.pmid: 24511213
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2006 Feb;6(2):207-12
references.pmid: 16450029
references.citation: Biomicrofluidics. 2010 Dec 06;4(4):44110
references.pmid: 21264057
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2012 Jan 7;12(1):209-18
references.pmid: 22089026
references.citation: Biomicrofluidics. 2012 Jul 24;6(3):34106
references.pmid: 23882299
references.citation: Electrophoresis. 2005 Oct;26(19):3689-96
references.pmid: 16152668
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2012 Sep 21;12(18):3392-8
references.pmid: 22782449
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2007 Jun;7(6):763-9
references.pmid: 17538719
references.citation: Biomicrofluidics. 2013 Jul 26;7(4):44106
references.pmid: 24404040
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2013 Jul 7;13(13):2464-83
references.pmid: 23681312
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2011 May 7;11(9):1688-93
references.pmid: 21445396
references.citation: Nat Phys. 2010 Jun 1;6(6):433-437
references.pmid: 20526435
references.citation: Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2006 Dec;74(6 Pt 1):061402
references.pmid: 17280068
references.citation: Biomicrofluidics. 2011 Mar 16;5:14107
references.pmid: 21483661
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2009 Jul 21;9(14):2070-5
references.pmid: 19568677
references.citation: Nature. 2006 Jul 27;442(7101):412-8
references.pmid: 16871209
references.citation: Biomed Microdevices. 2009 Aug;11(4):915-24
references.pmid: 19353271
references.citation: Biomicrofluidics. 2013 Apr 23;7(2):24111
references.pmid: 24404016
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2004 Aug;4(4):310-5
references.pmid: 15269796
references.citation: Anal Chem. 2007 May 1;79(9):3504-8
references.pmid: 17388566
references.citation: Small. 2011 Jan 3;7(1):12-48
references.pmid: 21072867
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2010 Nov 7;10(21):2906-10
references.pmid: 20844778
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2008 Dec;8(12):1982-3
references.pmid: 19023459
references.citation: Biomed Microdevices. 2009 Jun;11(3):625-31
references.pmid: 19169826
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2008 Feb;8(2):330-8
references.pmid: 18231674
references.citation: Int J Mol Sci. 2011;12(5):3263-87
references.pmid: 21686184
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Mar 27;104(13):5268-73
references.pmid: 17374724
references.citation: Biomicrofluidics. 2012 Jul 20;6(3):34105
references.pmid: 23874368
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2008 Oct;8(10):1733-7
references.pmid: 18813398
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2013 Nov 21;13(22):4366-73
references.pmid: 24056885
references.citation: Clin Chim Acta. 2002 Jul;321(1-2):1-10
references.pmid: 12031585
references.citation: Trends Cell Biol. 2011 Aug;21(8):489-97
references.pmid: 21665472
references.citation: Anal Chem. 2006 Jul 1;78(13):4465-73
references.pmid: 16808455
references.citation: Biomed Microdevices. 2009 Aug;11(4):731-8
references.pmid: 19212816
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2012 Apr 7;12(7):1355-62
references.pmid: 22358184
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2012 Apr 24;12(10):1881-9
references.pmid: 22437280
references.citation: Lab Chip. 2012 Feb 7;12(3):595-601
references.pmid: 22159026
references.citation: Anal Chem. 2013 Nov 5;85(21):10503-11
references.pmid: 24102170
references.citation: Biosens Bioelectron. 2009 Jul 15;24(11):3208-14
references.pmid: 19467854
references.citation: Biomicrofluidics. 2012 Jun;6(2):22009-2200910
references.pmid: 22655012