Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electro-adaptive microfluidics for active tuning of channel geometry using polymer actuators

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Microfluidics and Nanofluidics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With the expanding role of microfluidics in biology and medicine, methodologies for on-chip fluid sample manipulation become increasingly important. While conventional methods of microfluidic actuation, such as pneumatic and piezoelectric valves, are well characterized and commonly used, they require bulky external setups and complex fabrication. To address the need for a simple microfluidic actuator, we introduce a hybrid device consisting of an electroactive polymer that controls the shape of a microfluidic channel with an applied bias voltage. The electro-adaptive microfluidic (EAM) device allowed tuning of fluidic resistances by up to 18.1 %. In addition, we have shown that the EAM device is able to clear microchannel blockages by actively expanding the channel cross section. Biocompatibility tests show the EAM device has little effect on cell viability within a voltage range and thus has the potential to be utilized in bio-microfluidic systems. All of these results indicate that this EAM device design may find use in applications from cell sorting and trapping and self-clearing channels, to the reduction of lab-on-a-chip complexity via tunable channel geometries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bar-Cohen Y, Xue T, Shahinpoor M, Simpson JO, Smith J (1998) Low-mass muscle actuators using electroactive polymers (EAP). Proc SPIE 3324:32. doi:10.1117/12.316866

    Google Scholar 

  • Bélanger MC, Marois Y (2001) Hemocompatibility, biocompatibility, inflammatory and in vivo studies of primary reference materials low-density polyethylene and polydimethylsiloxane: a review. J Biomed Mater Res 58(5):467–477. doi:10.1002/jbm.1043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brochu P, Pei Q (2010) Advances in dielectric elastomers for actuators and artificial muscles. Macromol Rapid Commun 31:10–36. doi:10.1002/marc.200900425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruus H (2008) Theoretical microfluidics. Oxford University Press, New York

  • Carpi F, Chiarelli P, Mazzoldi A, De Rossi D (2003) Electromechanical characterisation of dielectric elastomer planar actuators: comparative evaluation of different electrode materials and different counterloads. Sens Actuators A 107(1):85–95. doi:10.1016/s0924-4247(03)00257-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chin CD, Linder V, Sia SK (2007) Lab-on-a-chip devices for global health: past studies and future opportunities. Lab Chip 18(7):41–57. doi:10.1039/b611455e

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chin CD, Linder V, Sia SK (2012) Commercialization of microfluidic point-of-care diagnostic devices. Lab Chip. doi:10.1039/c2lc21204h

    Google Scholar 

  • Folch A, Au AK, Lai H, Utela BR (2011) Microvalves and micropumps for BioMEMS. Micromachines 155(2):179–220. doi:10.3390/mi2020179

    Google Scholar 

  • Goh JK (2009) Effects of wall compliance on pulsatile flow attenuation in microchannels. Dissertation, San Jose State University, San Jose

  • Gossett DR, Weaver WM, Mach AJ, Hur SC, Tse HTK, Lee W, Amini H, Di Carlo D (2010) Label-free cell separation and sorting in microfluidic systems. Anal Bioanal Chem 397(8):3249–3267. doi:10.1007/s00216-010-3721-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graf NJ, Bowser MT (2008) A soft-polymer piezoelectric bimorph cantilever-actuated peristaltic micropump. Lab Chip 8:1664–1670. doi:10.1039/b805252b

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grover WH, Skelley AM, Liu CN, Lagally ET, Mathies RA (2003) Monolithic membrane valves and diaphragm pumps for practical large-scale integration into glass microfluidic devices. Sensors Actuators B: Chem 89(3):315–323. doi:10.1016/s0925-4005(02)00468-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ha SM, Yuan W, Pei Q, Pelrine R, Stanford S (2006) Interpenetrating polymer networks for high-performance electroelastomer artificial muscles. Adv Mater 18(7):887–891. doi:10.1002/adma.200502437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Handique K, Burke DT, Mastrangelo CH, Burns MA (2001) On-chip thermopneumatic pressure for discrete drop pumping. Anal Chem 73(8):1831–1838. doi:10.1021/ac000711f

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heikali D, Di Carlo D (2010) A niche for microfluidics in portable hematology analyzers. J Assoc Lab Autom 15(4):319–328. doi:10.1016/j.jala.2010.02.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hur SC, Tse HTK, Di Carlo D (2010) Sheathless inertial cell ordering for extreme throughput flow cytometry. Lab Chip 10:274–280. doi:10.1039/b919495a

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jager E, Smela E, Inganas O (2000) Microfabricating conjugated polymer actuators. Science 290:1540–1545. doi:10.1126/science.290.5496.1540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim Y, Kuczenski B, LeDuc PR, Messner WC (2009) Modulation of fluidic resistance and capacitance for long-term, high-speed feedback control of a microfluidic interface. Lab Chip 9:2603–2609. doi:10.1039/b822423d

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koh SJA, Li T, Zhou J, Zhao X, Hong W, Zhu J, Suo Z (2011) Mechanisms of large actuation strain in dielectric elastomers. J Polym Sci, Part B: Polym Phys 49(7):504–515. doi:10.1002/polb.22223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kornbluh R, Pelrine R, Pei Q, Heydt R, Stanford S, Oh S, Eckerle J (2002) Electroelastomers: applications of dielectric elastomer transducers for actuation generation and smart structures. Proc SPIE 4698:254–270. doi:10.1117/12.475072

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs G, Düring L, Michel S, Terrasi G (2009) Stacked dielectric elastomer actuator for tensile force transmission. Sens Actuators A 155:299–307. doi:10.1016/j.sna.2009.08.027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee DE, Soper S, Wang W (2008) Design and fabrication of an electrochemically actuated microvalve. Microsyst Technol 14(9):1751–1756. doi:10.1007/s00542-008-0594-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu W, Li L, Wang J, Tu Q, Ren L, Wang Y, Wang J (2012) Dynamic trapping and high-throughput patterning of cells using pneumatic microstructures in an integrated microfluidic device. Lab Chip 12:1702–1709. doi:10.1039/c2lc00034b

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loverich JJ, Kanno I, Kotera H (2006) Concepts for a new class of all-polymer micropumps. Lab Chip 6:1147–1154. doi:10.1039/b605525g

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonaldad J, Biyiklia K, Zugica B, Ebersolea G, Allora J (2005) Nucleation and growth of polymorphs of barbital on chemically modified surfaces in microfluidic channels. MRS Proc 901:0901-Ra07-04.1–0901-Ra07-04.7. doi:10.1557/PROC-0901-Ra07-04

    Google Scholar 

  • Oh KW, Lee K, Ahn B, Furlani EP (2012) Design of pressure-driven microfluidic networks using electric circuit analogy. Lab Chip 12:515–545. doi:10.1039/c2lc20799k

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pan T, McDonald S, Kai EM, Ziaie B (2005) A magnetically driven PDMS micropump with ball check-valves. J Micromech Microeng 15(5):1021–1026. doi:10.1088/0960-1317/15/5/018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelrine RE, Kornbluh RD, Joseph JP (1998) Electrostriction of polymer dielectrics with compliant electrodes as a means of actuation. Sens Actuators A 64(1):77–85. doi:10.1016/S0924-4247(97)01657-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelrine R, Kornbluh R, Pei Q, Joesph J (2000a) High-speed electrically actuated elastomers with strain greater than 100%. Science 287(5454):836–839. doi:10.1126/science.287.5454.836

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelrine R, Kornbluh R, Joseph J, Heydt R, Pei Q, Chiba S (2000b) High-field deformation of elastomeric dielectrics for actuators. Mater Sci Eng, C 11(2):89–100. doi:10.1016/S0928-4931(00)00128-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price AK, Anderson KM, Culbertson CT (2009) Demonstration of an integrated electroactive polymer actuator on a microfluidic electrophoresis device. Lab Chip 9:2076–2084. doi:10.1039/b823465e

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selvaganapathy P, Carlen ET, Mastrangelo CH (2003) Electrothermally actuated inline microfluidic valve. Sens Actuators A 104(3):275–282. doi:10.1016/s0924-4247(03)00030-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sollier E, Murray C, Maoddi P, Di Carlo D (2011) Rapid prototyping polymers for microfluidic devices and high pressure injections. Lab Chip 11(22):3752–3765. doi:10.1039/c1lc20514e

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sounart TL, Michalske TA, Zavadil KR (2005) Frequency-dependent electrostatic actuation in microfluidic MEMS. J Microelectromech Syst 14(1):125–133. doi:10.1109/JMEMS.2004.839006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unger MA, Chou HP, Thorsen T, Scherer A, Quake SR (2000) Monolithic microfabricated valves and pumps by multilayer soft lithography. Science 288(5463):113–116. doi:10.1126/science.288.5463.113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanDelinder V, Groisman A (2006) Separation of plasma from whole human blood in continuous cross flow in a molded microfluidic device. Anal Chem 78(11):3765–3771. doi:10.1021/ac060042r

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanDelinder V, Groisman A (2007) Perfusion in microfluidic cross-flow: separation of white blood cells from whole blood and exchange of medium in a continuous flow. Anal Chem 79:2023–2030. doi:10.1021/ac061659b

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughan ET, Weaver JC (2005) Molecular change signal-to-noise criteria for interpreting experiments involving exposure of biological systems to weakly interacting electromagnetic fields. Bioelectromagnetics 26(4):305–322. doi:10.1002/bem.20094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vyawahare S, Sitaula S, Martin S, Adalian D, Scherer A (2008) Electronic control of elastomeric microfluidic circuits with shape memory actuators. Lab Chip 8:1530–1535. doi:10.1039/b804515a

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitesides GM (2006) The origins and the future of microfluidics. Nature 442:368–373. doi:10.1038/nature05058

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willis PA, Hunt BD, White VE, Lee MC, Ikeda M, Bae S, Pelletier MJ, Grunthaner FJ (2007) Monolithic teflon® membrane valves and pumps for harsh chemical and low-temperature use. Lab Chip 7:1469–1474. doi:10.1039/b707892g

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wyser Y, Pelletier C, Lange J (2001) Predicting and determining the bending stiffness of thin films and laminates. Packag Technol Sci 14:97–108. doi:10.1002/pts.540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie J, Shih J, Lin Q, Yang B, Tai YC (2004) Surface micromachined electrostatically actuated micro peristaltic pump. Lab Chip 4:495–501. doi:10.1039/b403906h

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yager P, Edwards T, Fu E, Helton K, Nelson K, Tam MR, Weigl BH (2006) Microfluidic diagnostic technologies for global public health. Nature 442:2006. doi:10.1038/nature05064

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu Z, Yuan W, Brochu P, Chen B, Liu Z, Pei Q (2009) Large-strain rigid-to-rigid deformation of bistable electroactive polymers. Appl Phys Lett 95(192904):1–3. doi:10.1063/1.3263729

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu Z, Niu X, Brochu P, Yuan W, Li H, Chen B, Pei Q (2010) Bistable electroactive polymers (BSEP): large-strain actuation of rigid polymers. Proc SPIE 7642:76420C-1–76420C-9. doi:10.1117/12.847756

    Google Scholar 

  • Yuan W, Hu L, Yu Z, Lam T, Biggs J, Ha S, Xi D, Chen B, Senesky MK, Grüner G, Pei Q (2008) Fault-tolerant dielectric elastomer actuators using single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes. Adv Mater 20(3):621–625. doi:10.1002/adma.200701018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao X, Suo Z (2010) Theory of dielectric elastomers capable of giant deformation of actuation. Phys Rev Lett 104(178302):1–4. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.178302

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mohsen Khoshnevisan for his guidance and support and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract # N66001-10-1-4072 for financial support.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Qibing Pei

    Present address: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, 420 Westwood Plaza, 3121-H Engineering V, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1595, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioengineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, 420 Westwood Plaza, 5121 Engineering V, P.O. Box 951600, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1600, USA

    Coleman Murray, Elodie Sollier, Taylor Ruggiero & Dino Di Carlo

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, 420 Westwood Plaza, 3121-H Engineering V, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1595, USA

    David McCoul & Xiaofan Niu

Authors
  1. Coleman Murray
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David McCoul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Elodie Sollier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Taylor Ruggiero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiaofan Niu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Qibing Pei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Dino Di Carlo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Qibing Pei or Dino Di Carlo.

Additional information

C. Murray and D. McCoul contributed equally to the study.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material (PDF 138 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Murray, C., McCoul, D., Sollier, E. et al. Electro-adaptive microfluidics for active tuning of channel geometry using polymer actuators. Microfluid Nanofluid 14, 345–358 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1055-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1055-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation