title: Self-powered Imbibing Microfluidic Pump by Liquid Encapsulation: SIMPLE.
abstract: Reliable, autonomous, internally self-powered microfluidic pumps are in critical demand for rapid point-of-care (POC) devices, integrated molecular-diagnostic platforms, and drug delivery systems. Here we report on a Self-powered Imbibing Microfluidic Pump by Liquid Encapsulation (SIMPLE), which is disposable, autonomous, easy to use and fabricate, robust, and cost efficient, as a solution for self-powered microfluidic POC devices. The imbibition pump introduces the working liquid which is sucked into a porous material (paper) upon activation. The suction of the working liquid creates a reduced pressure in the analytical channel and induces the sequential sample flow into the microfluidic circuits. It requires no external power or control and can be simply activated by a fingertip press. The flow rate can be programmed by defining the shape of utilized porous material: by using three different paper shapes with circular section angles 20°, 40° and 60°, three different volume flow rates of 0.07 μL s(-1), 0.12 μL s(-1) and 0.17 μL s(-1) are demonstrated at 200 μm × 600 μm channel cross-section. We established the SIMPLE pumping of 17 μL of sample; however, the sample volume can be increased to several hundreds of μL. To demonstrate the design, fabrication, and characterization of SIMPLE, we used a simple, robust and cheap foil-laminating fabrication technique. The SIMPLE can be integrated into hydrophilic or hydrophobic materials-based microfluidic POC devices. Since it is also applicable to large-scale manufacturing processes, we anticipate that a new chapter of a cost effective, disposable, autonomous POC diagnostic chip is addressed with this technical innovation.
authors.affiliation: IMT, Ljubljana, Slovenia. tadej.kokalj@imt.si.
authors.forename: Tadej
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokalj
authors.forename: Younggeun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Matjaž
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vencelj
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jenko
authors.forename: Luke P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010209:Paper; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000191:economics; D016062:Porosity