Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


case1196092156.pdf (3 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF AUTONOMOUS POLYMER-BASED SURFACE TENSION-CONFINED MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORMS

Swickrath, Michael J.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1196092156

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Chemical Engineering.
The field of microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip technologies in particular, promises the capacity to automate sophisticated laboratory analyses into a platform that can be implemented by a user with minimal analytical experience. However, the fabrication methods traditionally employed to manufacture microfluidic devices are cost ineffective and time intensive. Consequently, current production techniques render exploiting this technology for clinical application problematic. This work describes an alternative fabrication technique to mitigate the aforementioned problems through surface tension-driven flow. Hydrophilic conduits are patterned on a variety of commodity polymeric substrates. The opposing two-dimensionally patterned devices are brought within close proximity for the fabrication of a parallel plate configured microfluidic device. The microfluidic platforms demonstrate the ability to facilitate spontaneous capillary pumping with a high degree of precision and minimal expenditure of fluid reagent. In particular, several cost-effective fabrication procedures are illustrated as well as the capacity to manipulate fluids within the platforms utilizing volumes less than 20 total microliters. Furthermore, applications are demonstrated within the devices such as enzymatic-catalysis, on-chip urinalysis (i.e. glucose and protein detection), and micromixing; demonstrating the efficacy of the platform to automate fluid transport concomitantly with reaction processes. In addition, preliminary designs and protocols are suggested in the last chapter of this work for surface tension-confined devices capable of performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Moreover, theoretical aspects of microfluidic flow are explored within this document including the physics of wetting and wetting energetics, factors influencing surface tension (and thereby the system driving force), the conservative level set method coupling two-phase flow and the Navier-Stokes equations, the expected velocity and Reynolds number of the advancing fluid front within the microfluidic platforms, calculating the curvature-based pressure jump across the advancing meniscus and non-dimensional numbers pertinent to capillary-driven microfluidic flow. The extension of these results suggests that autonomous micro-analytical systems may be fabricated with limited rigor and mechanical components. Consequently, commercialization opportunities for this novel microfluidic platform are under consideration.
Gary Wnek (Advisor)
171 p.
microfluidics; surface tension; surface directed; hydrophilic; hydrophobic

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Swickrath, M. J. (2008). THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF AUTONOMOUS POLYMER-BASED SURFACE TENSION-CONFINED MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORMS [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1196092156

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Swickrath, Michael. THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF AUTONOMOUS POLYMER-BASED SURFACE TENSION-CONFINED MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORMS. 2008. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1196092156.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Swickrath, Michael. "THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF AUTONOMOUS POLYMER-BASED SURFACE TENSION-CONFINED MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORMS." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1196092156

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1196092156
2,211
© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.