Microinstrumentation featuring flexible polymers: from discrete devices to full electronic and microfluidic systems

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My research program focuses on the development of innovative microfabrication and enabling technologies for next generation microsensors, microfluidic systems, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Through the Discovery Grant program, my lab (Microinstrumentation Lab, uiL) has pioneered essential enabling technologies through a concentrated and systematic approach. These enabling technologies have included advanced microfluidic flow control; development of micropatterned functional electronic and magnetic composite polymers (CPs); technologies to aid in integrated, chip-to-chip and chip-to-world microfluidic interconnect; and flexible microfluidic and wearable textile-based biosensor device-level technologies. The long-term goals of my research are to establish a comprehensive library of interconnects and microfluidic, microsensor, electronic, and optical components with well-defined functionality and interface requirements to facilitate development of new microfluidic instruments. I plan to integrate CPs into microfluidic systems on rigid and flexible substrates, including commercial microfluidic polymers and textiles, to achieve innovative system performance enabled by these functional materials. The applications of this research will be the creation of “technically fun and socially relevant” microfluidic instrumentation for applications including but not limited to: health care, athletic performance, hazardous environment exposure, immunology, food packaging, biological cell studies, and disease diagnostics. HQP trained during the duration of the program will become Canada’s next generation of technological leaders in these sectors. Over the next five years, the proposed research program will focus on the following objectives: 1. Development of a combined microfluidic and electronic framework (MEF), including power sources and devices with C-CP/M-CP structures, on flexible polymer and textile platforms. 2. Establishment of a library of system-level engineering building blocks of platforms, interconnects, and device packaging to facilitate systematic microinstrument development. 3. Development of methods to combine M-CPs with microfluidic thermoplastic polymers (TPs) to provide new microfluidic actuation mechanisms for these industrially-relevant material platforms. 4. Demonstration of the MEF for combining example devices relevant to wearable monitoring. New and exciting research into wearable electronics, functional nanocomposite polymers, flexible microfluidics, and commercial polymer microfluidics is reported on a daily basis. However, much of this research is specific to each field, despite the enormous potential that the convergence of these research areas has for the future of health care, worker safety, food safety, consumer devices, and commercial microfluidics. The proposed research program offers a new and innovative approach of powerful, general-purpose frameworks to systematically interface CP-based, microfluidic, and electronic devices simultaneously on flexible polymer, textile, or industrial polymer platforms. Such an approach offers practical solutions for industry in areas such as worker safety; UV-index, heart, and lactose monitoring for athletic clothing; and glucose monitoring. The integration of rare-earth M-CP actuators with commercial microfluidics will be pioneering, offering high-deflection, low-power actuators for increased portability. The strength of the proposed research program is its ability to provide technological frameworks to develop not just one instrument, but to provide essential, enabling technologies for on-going development of new wearable and portable microfluidics, placing Canada at the forefront of sustainable development in these areas.