Construction of Micro/Nano-Reactor Array Using Low-Volume Liquid Dispenser

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The purpose of this research is to develop a micro-dispenser that enables the quantitative handling with multiple ultra-low volume liquid in a simple procedure and to construct a micro/nano reactor array by multiplying the developed dispensers with a volume of nano-liter to pico-liter. The main results are as follows :1.Qualification of Developed Micro Liquid DispenserIn this research, we have proposed a novel dispensing principle for a low-volume liquid, that is, a simple micro-channel network without any mechanical elements. This microchannel structure has both the narrow sections that function as a fluid valve and the multiple branching points that can quantitatively meter the small liquid volume. The former valve-like structure is generally called as a "passive valve", that requires the narrow and hard-wet region, i.e., the contact angle of the handling liquid for the channel surface is more than 90 degree. It has revealed that our newly proposed channel structure has a clear valve … More function either for a wettable or hard to wet liquid, even though that depends on the fabrication accuracy.2.Local Surface Modification for the Dispenser ImprovementThe surface modification of the channel inner wall improves the valve performance, especially for the narrow region of the dispenser. For this purpose, various silane coupling reagents were effective for PDMS microchannel modification. We have also proposed a novel local surface modification method utilizing the accumulation of small polymer particles at the specific area on a microchannel inner wall and the melting of the particles after the accumulation.3.Construction of Micro/Nano Reactor Array with Multiple Micro-DispensersWe have also developed the various types of micro/nano reactor arrays by integrating multiple micro-dispensers, that are, a 2D-microreactor array that enables the three droplets mixing at each chamber for the multiple drug resistance screening, a micro-gel compartment array using Ca-alginate for cell screening, and a chamber array that easily prepares the concentration gradient by exchanging two kinds of liquids. Less