Portable Lab-on-PCB platform for autonomous micromixing

In this paper, an SU-8 portable microfluidic platform consisting on an on-chip impulsion system implemented for micromixing is reported. The use of pressurized air chambers and controlled microvalves allows the impulsion of fluidic samples for autonomous mixing, avoiding the use of external pumps and improving the portability. The platform is fabricated by combining Flame Retardant 4 as PCB substrate, copper for electric contacts and lines, and SU-8 for the microfluidic circuit, with integration of sensing components in mind. A specific Simulink model provides the most suitable parameters. It studies the dynamic of the activation and represents the transient behavior of a microfluidic circuit that uses the impulsion of pressurized air to move and mix two different reagents. The simulated behavior includes the effect of the channel and chambers dimensions, initial pressure and volume, and fluids properties. A complete realization of the proposed platform is demonstrated, proving its validity for the realization of microfluidic systems for portable applications. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.