Surface-Micromachined Parylene Dual Valves for On-Chip Unpowered Microflow Regulation

This paper presents the world's first surface-micromachined parylene dual-valved microfluidic system for on-chip unpowered microflow regulation. Incorporating a normally closed and a normally open passive check valve in a back-to-back configuration inside a microchannel, the dual-valved system...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of microelectromechanical systems Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 223 - 231
Main Authors:	Po-Jui Chen, Rodger, D.C., Meng, E.M., Humayun, M.S., Yu-Chong Tai
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	New York, NY IEEE 01-04-2007 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subjects:	Applied fluid mechanics Applied sciences Biological and medical sciences Biological materials Biosensors Biotechnology Control Control systems Design engineering Drug delivery systems Economics Electronics Energy consumption Exact sciences and technology Flow rate Fluid dynamics Fluidics Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications) Glaucoma Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy Magnetic liquids Magnetic materials Mechanical engineering. Machine design Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques Methods. Procedures. Technologies Microchannel Microflow control Microfluidics Micromechanical devices and systems microvalve parylene Physics Polymer films Precision engineering, watch making Pressure control System-on-a-chip Valves Various methods and equipments Biotechnology Regulations Liquids Flow rate Atmospheric pressure Xylene polymer Valves System on a chip microvalve Experimental study parylene Microflow control Air flow Gas flow Microvalves Fluidic control Surface micromachining Nonreturn valve Microelectromechanical device Microfluidics Public health Check valve Fluidics Production process
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Summary:	This paper presents the world's first surface-micromachined parylene dual-valved microfluidic system for on-chip unpowered microflow regulation. Incorporating a normally closed and a normally open passive check valve in a back-to-back configuration inside a microchannel, the dual-valved system has successfully regulated the pressure/flow rate of air and liquid without power consumption or electronic/magnetic/thermal transduction. By exclusively using parylene C (poly-para-xylylene C) as the structural material, the fabricated valves have higher flexibility to shunt flows in comparison to other conventional thin-film valves. A state-of-the-art multilayer polymer surface-micromachining technology is applied here to fabricate parylene microvalves of various designs. The parylene-based devices are completely biocompatible/implantable and provide an economical paradigm for fluidic control in integrated lab-on-a-chip systems. Design, fabrication, and characterization of the parylene dual valves are discussed in this paper. Testing results have successfully demonstrated that the microflow regulation of the on-chip dual-valved system can achieve a bandpass profile in which the pressure control range is 0-50 mmHg with corresponding flow rates up to 2 mL/min for air flow and 1 muL/min flow rate for water flow. This regulation range is suitable for controlling biological conditions in human health care, with potential applications including drug delivery and regulation of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma patients
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23
ISSN:	1057-7157 1941-0158
DOI:	10.1109/JMEMS.2006.889534