Low-Melting Alloy Microfluidic Electrode Based on Hydrophobic Valve and its Application in Coulter Counter

Dong Yang, Wenpeng Xun, Huicheng Feng, Honglong Chang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents a new method to fabricate low-melting point alloy (LMPA) electrodes inside polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channels. The melting alloy is injected into a subchannel designed as a hydrophobic valve, which provides a threshold pressure to flow through. Thus, with an appropriate control of the injecting pressure, the melting alloy can fully fill the subchannel without passing through it and blocking the main channel. After the solidification, an LMPA microelectrode is formed and automatically aligned on the side of main channel. A Coulter counter microfluidic chip is fabricated using this method and a coefficient variation (CV) of 1.99% is obtained for 10-μm beads. The results show that the proposed method is a feasible solution to fabricate robust microelectrodes in polymer-based microfluidic chips without the expensive lithography or sputtering.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2019 20th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems and Eurosensors XXXIII, TRANSDUCERS 2019 and EUROSENSORS XXXIII
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages1029-1032
Number of pages4
ISBN (Electronic)9781728120072
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2019
Event20th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems and Eurosensors XXXIII, TRANSDUCERS 2019 and EUROSENSORS XXXIII - Berlin, Germany
Duration: 23 Jun 201927 Jun 2019

Publication series

Name2019 20th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems and Eurosensors XXXIII, TRANSDUCERS 2019 and EUROSENSORS XXXIII

Conference

Conference20th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems and Eurosensors XXXIII, TRANSDUCERS 2019 and EUROSENSORS XXXIII
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityBerlin
Period23/06/1927/06/19

Keywords

  • Coulter counter
  • hydrophobic valve
  • low-melting point alloy
  • Microfluidic electrode

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