Smart microfluidic systems based on dielectrophoresis and electrowetting

该项目的目标是开发和测试用于芯片实验室的电场介导的微流体系统的光学传感和真实的时间控制的方法。我们将研究结合电压和频率的联合收割机调制的新型流量控制和监测策略。成功将有助于规划未来的研究，旨在实现这种液体驱动方案在一类新的智能，高速，微流体系统。该项目解决了如何监测和控制这种快速运动的挑战，在实验室芯片上实施。先前的微流体研究提供了很少或没有指导如何控制的高速，动态行为的固着，sub-nanoliter液体质量在substrates.The实验策略是调查和联合收割机三种手段来实现这种控制电压幅度调制，频率调制，和动态切换的分段电极。其中，频率调制是最独特的，因为它通过频率调谐提供对EWOD和DEP的互补属性的访问。在发展过程中，TAS和芯片实验室比MEMS和基于EWOD/DEP的微流体技术落后十多年，这些技术具有可访问的平面几何结构，从而为简化分析物样品注射方法和减少堵塞趋势打开了大门。这些机电驱动机制可能构成一个解决方案的启动和样品引入瓶颈与封闭channel.The项目提供了很好的机会，研究生水平的跨学科研究，但也许同样重要的是，我们可以挖掘到一个真正的兴奋，这项工作所显示的本科生和中学生。我们将利用这种好奇心，继续为我们实验室的本科生提供实习机会，并将我们的推广范围扩大到参加罗切斯特大学暑期科学夏令营的高中和初中女生。

The project objective is to develop and test methodologies for optical sensing and real time control of electric-field-mediated microfluidic systems for the laboratory-on-a-chip. We will investigate novel flow control and monitoring strategies that combine modulation of voltage and frequency. Success will help in planning future research aimed at implementation of this liquid actuation scheme in a new class of smart, high-speed, microfluidic systems. The project addresses the challenge of how to monitor and control this rapid motion for implementation in the laboratory on a chip. Prior microfluidics research offers little or no guidance about how to control the high-speed, dynamic behavior of sessile, sub-nanoliter liquid masses on substrates.The experimental strategy is to investigate and combine three means to achieve this control voltage magnitude modulation, frequency modulation, and dynamic switching of segmented electrodes. Of these, frequency modulation is most unique because it provides access to the complementary attributes of EWOD and DEP by frequency tuning. Developmentally, TAS and the lab-on-a-chip, are more than ten years behind MEMS and EWOD/DEP-based microfluidics features on-chip manipulation with accessible, planar geometries, thus opening the door to simplified analyte sample injection methods and reduced tendencies to clogging. These electromechanical actuation mechanisms may constitute a solution to the priming and sample introduction bottleneck associated with enclosed channels.The project offers fine opportunities for post-graduate level interdisciplinary research, but perhaps just as important is that we can tap into a genuine excitement about this work displayed by undergraduates and by secondary school students. We will exploit this curiosity by continuing to provided internship opportunities for undergraduates in our laboratory and by expanding our outreach to high school and middle school girls participating in summer science camp at the University of Rochester.