Modares Mechanical Engineering

Modares Mechanical Engineering

Design and Fabrication of a Bistable Microfluidic Paper-Based Transistor

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Fatemeh Pourrezakhader
Roozbeh Abedini-Nassab
Tarbiat Modares University, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
10.48311/mme.24.10.667
Abstract
In recent years, paper-based microfluidic devices have attracted significant attention. However, the inability to precisely control multiple fluids simultaneously has remained a major challenge for paper-based microfluidic chips. Here, inspired by electrical circuits, a transistor component has been designed and fabricated for operation in paper-based microfluidic chips. This component, upon receiving an electrical command, regulates the flow of fluid within a paper-based microfluidic channel. The primary advantage of this transistor lies in its bi-stable operation (capability to open and close the channel) despite its simple structure. Its operation is based on the controlled movement of wax, driven by the heat generated from the electrical current applied to the transistor's gate, within the cross-section of the paper. To characterize this transistor, the parameters affecting its operation were analyzed. Experimental results indicated that in a channel with length of 25 mm, with widths of 2 mm and 3 mm, and hydrophobic section lengths of 2 mm and 3 mm, a fluid volume of 30 to 40 microliters could be controlled by applying a gate electrical current of about 1300 milliamperes for less than 35 seconds. Additionally, as a practical demonstration of this transistor's functionality, a sensor circuit was designed and fabricated to detect acidic and basic environments. The proposed transistor, by enhancing fluid controllability in microfluidic chips, plays a key role in advancing this technology. Paper-based microfluidic chips equipped with the transistor presented in this study hold promising potential for applications in medical diagnostics, performing complex multi-step tests, biosensors and chemical sensors
Keywords
Paper-Based Microfluidic Chip
Transistor
Fluid Flow Control

Subjects

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Modares Mechanical Engineering
Volume 24, Issue 10
September 2024
Pages 667-675