The analytical approach to polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic technology and its biological applications

This review article discusses PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) microfluidic devices and their biological applications. First, the already developed devices are classified from the viewpoints of underlying technology within a common logical framework comprising single-layer, multilayer, and integrated devices, as well as surface chemistry modifications of PDMS. Combinatorial techniques are applied to re-derive existing devices within this framework. Next, the relevant scales of both microfluidics and biology are compared, obtaining the promise and limitations of PDMS microfluidics. Finally, the body of work is reclassified in terms of addressed biological applications and compared to the standard methods in cellular and molecular biology, to offer insights for future devices and applications.     

Series inverter without gate control

In commonly used inverters, the ac power is supplied to the load by the switching of gate-driven thyristors. The gating signals are supplied by an external triggering circuit. The inverter presented by the authors does not have a separate triggering circuit. The self-excited sinusoidal oscillations are obtained by using the capacitor voltage of the series ringing circuit as a gating signal. This type of inverter is very simple and useful if the load condition falls within the stable range of operation. The paper describes the circuit and it presents the analytical limits of stable operation. Experimental results are compared with analytical results.     

Quantitative analysis of methyl parathion pesticides in a polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic channel using confocal surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

A fast and ultra-sensitive trace analysis of methyl parathion pesticides in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channel was investigated using confocal surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). A three-dimensional PDMS-based passive micromixer was fabricated for this purpose. This PDMS micromixer showed a high mixing efficiency because a strong chaotic advection was developed by the simultaneous vertical and transverse dispersion of the confluent streams. The confocal SERS signal was measured after methyl parathion pesticides were effectively adsorbed onto silver nanoparticles while flowing along the upper and lower alligator-teeth-shaped PDMS channel. A quantitative analysis of the methyl parathion pesticides was performed based on the measured peak height at 1246 cm-1. Our method has a detection limit of 0.1 ppm. This value satisfies the requirement recommended by the Collaborative International Pesticides Analytical Council (CIPAC) for the determination of methyl parathion in pesticide formulations. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using confocal SERS for the highly sensitive detection of methyl parathion pesticides in a PDMS microfluidic channel.     

Electrokinetic fluid control in two-dimensional planar microfluidic devices

We present microfluidic device designs with a two-dimensional planar format and methods to facilitate efficient sample transport along both dimensions. The basic device design consisted of a single channel for the first dimension which orthogonally intersected a high-aspect ratio second-dimension channel. To minimize dispersion of sample moving into and through the sample transfer region, control channels were placed on both sides of the first-dimension channel, and the electrokinetic flow from these control channels was used to confine the sample stream. We used SIMION and COMSOL simulations of the electric fields and fluid flow to guide device design. First, devices with one, two, and four control channels were fabricated and tested, and four control channels provided the most effective sample confinement. The designs were evaluated by measuring the sample stream widths and concentration to width ratios as a function of the electric field strength ratio in the control channels and first-dimension (1D) channel (EC/E1D). Next, both a single open channel and an array of parallel channels were tested for the second dimension, and improved performance was observed for the parallel channel design, with stream widths as narrow as 120 microm. The ease with which fluids could be introduced into both the first and second dimensions was also illustrated. Sample plugs injected into the planar region were confined as effectively as sample streams and were easily routed into the planar region by reconfiguring the applied potentials.     

All-optical control of microfluidic components using form birefringence

The reflection and refraction of light at a dielectric interface gives rise to forces due to changes in the photon momentum. At the microscopic level, these forces are sufficient to trap and rotate microscopic objects. Such forces may have a profound impact in the emergent area of microfluidics, where there is the desire to process minimal amounts of analyte. This places stringent criteria on the ability to pump, move and mix small volumes of fluid, which will require the use of micro-components and their controlled actuation. We demonstrate the modelling, fabrication and rotation of microgears based on the principle of form birefringence. Using a geometric anisotropy (a one-dimensional photonic crystal etched into the microgear), we can fabricate microgears of known birefringence, which may be readily rotated by manipulating the input polarization in a standard optical trap. This methodology offers a new and powerful mechanism for generating a wide range of microfabricated machines, such as micropumps, that may be driven by purely optical control.     

An evaporation rate meter for use in the control of Ti sublimation pumps

A titanium evaporation rate meter has been designed and built. The basic idea of the meter is described and discussed. It makes use of the well-known phenomenon of the change of tungsten thermoemission due to the deposition of a titanium monomolecular layer on the emitting surface. Details of the design and construction of the measuring gauge and its characteristics are presented.     

State-of-the-art review on crystallization control technologies for water/LiBr absorption heat pumps

The key technical barrier to using water/lithium bromide (LiBr) as the working fluid in air-cooled absorption chillers and absorption heat-pump systems is the risk of crystallization when the absorber temperature rises at fixed evaporating pressure. This article reviews various crystallization control technologies available to resolve this problem: chemical inhibitors, heat and mass transfer enhancement methods, thermodynamic cycle modifications, and absorption system-control strategies. Other approaches, such as boosting absorber pressure and J-tube technology, are reviewed as well. This review can help guide future efforts to develop water/LiBr air-cooled absorption chillers and absorption heat-pump systems.     

Selective modification for polydimethylsiloxane chip by micro-plasma

We report a method to selectively modify polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip in a fast and facile way using micro-plasma approach in the atmospheric-pressure. Pure He and He/acrylic acid plasma were ignited directly in different channels of PDMS microchip. Our experiments results yielded strong hydrophilic property on the surface of PDMS by the plasma treatment.     

升降舞台的制作与质量控制

组合升降舞台由于其特殊的结构形式,涉及到铆、焊、机械等专业,制作复杂;设计了适用的制作方案,严格控制各参数,解决了焊接变形和升降平行度控制问题。     

Field-programmable gate array-based recurrent wavelet neural network control system for linear ultrasonic motor

A field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based recurrent wavelet neural network (RWNN) control system is proposed to control the mover position of a linear ultrasonic motor (LUSM). First, the structure and operating principles of the LUSM are introduced. Since the dynamic characteristics and motor parameters of the LUSM are non-linear and time-varying, an RWNN controller is designed to improve the control performance for the precision tracking of various reference trajectories. The network structure and its on-line learning algorithm using delta adaptation law of the RWNN are described in detail. Moreover, the connective weights, translations and dilations of the RWNN are trained on-line. Furthermore, to guarantee the convergence of the tracking error, analytical methods based on a discrete-type Lyapunov function are proposed to determine the varied learning rates of the RWNN. In addition, an FPGA chip is adopted to implement the developed control algorithm for possible low-cost and high-performance industrial applications. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control system is verified by some experimental results.     

Infrared temperature control system for a completely noncontact polymerase chain reaction in microfluidic chips

A completely noncontact temperature system is described for amplification of DNA via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in glass microfluidic chips. An infrared (IR)-sensitive pyrometer was calibrated against a thermocouple inserted into a 550-nL PCR chamber and used to monitor the temperature of the glass surface above the PCR chamber during heating and cooling induced by a tungsten lamp and convective air source, respectively. A time lag of less than 1 s was observed between maximum heating rates of the solution and surface, indicating that thermal equilibrium was attained rapidly. Moreover, the time lag was corroborated using a one-dimensional heat-transfer model, which provided insight into the characteristics of the device and environment that caused the time lag. This knowledge will, in turn, allow for future tailoring of the devices to specific applications. To alleviate the need for calibrating the pyrometer with a thermocouple, the on-chip calibration of pyrometer was accomplished by sensing the boiling of two solutions, water and an azeotrope, and comparing the pyrometer output voltage against the known boiling points of these solutions. The "boiling point calibration" was successful as indicated by the subsequent chip-based IR-PCR amplification of a 211-bp fragment of the B. anthracis genome in a chamber reduced beyond the dimensions of a thermocouple. To improve the heating rates, a parabolic gold mirror was positioned above the microfluidic chip, which expedited PCR amplification to 18.8 min for a 30-cycle, three-temperature protocol.     

High-pressure microfluidic control in lab-on-a-chip devices using mobile polymer monoliths

We have developed a nonstick polymer formulation for creating moving parts inside of microfluidic channels and have applied the technique to create piston-based devices that overcome several microfluidic flow control challenges. The parts were created bycompletely filling the channels of a glass microfluidic chip with the monomer/ solvent/initiator components of a nonstick photopolymer and then selectively exposing the chip to UV light in order to define mobile pistons (or other quasi-two-dimensional shapes) inside the channels. Stops defined in the substrate prevent the part from flushing out of the device but also provide sealing surfaces so that valves and other flow control devices are possible. Sealing against pressures greater than 30 MPa (4,500 psi) and actuation times less than 33 ms are observed. An on-chip check valve, a diverter valve, and a 10-nL pipet are demonstrated. This valving technology, coupled with high-pressure electrokinetic pumps, should make it possible to create a completely integrated HPLC system on a chip.     

Gold-nanoparticle-embedded polydimethylsiloxane elastomers for highly sensitive Raman detection

A simple, convenient, and efficient method for highly sensitive Raman detection is made by using a Au nanoparticle (AuNP)-embedded polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer, referred to as AuNP-PDMS. When this AuNP-PDMS layer is applied to a surface, it can dramatically enhance the Raman signal of detected molecules. Moreover, it can be used for sensitive chemical imaging on solid substrates. As a proof of concept, patterned chemical images of p-aminothiophenol and methylene blue on a Ag substrate are obtained after this chemically patterned Ag substrate is covered by AuNP-PDMS.