Concepts

Microfluidic Automation Using Elastomeric Valves and Droplets: Reducing Reliance on External Controllers

  1. Sung-Jin Kim1,
  2. David Lai1,
  3. Joong Yull Park2,
  4. Ryuji Yokokawa1,3,
  5. Shuichi Takayama1,4,*

Article first published online: 3 JUL 2012

DOI: 10.1002/smll.201200456

Issue

Small

Small

Volume 8, Issue 19, pages 2925–2934, October 8, 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kim, S.-J., Lai, D., Park, J. Y., Yokokawa, R. and Takayama, S. (2012), Microfluidic Automation Using Elastomeric Valves and Droplets: Reducing Reliance on External Controllers. Small, 8: 2925–2934. doi: 10.1002/smll.201200456

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

  2. 2

    School of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

  3. 3

    Department of Microengineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

  4. 4

    Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA, Division of Nano-Bio and Chemical Engineering WCU Project, UNIST, Ulsan, Republic of Korea

*Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 OCT 2012
  2. Article first published online: 3 JUL 2012
  3. Manuscript Revised: 2 MAY 2012
  4. Manuscript Received: 29 FEB 2012

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Keywords:

  • microfluidics;
  • microfluidic circuits;
  • microfluidic valves;
  • microdroplets;
  • high-throughput analyses

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of elastomeric valve- and droplet-based microfluidic systems designed to minimize the need of external pressure to control fluid flow. This Concept article introduces the working principle of representative components in these devices along with relevant biochemical applications. This is followed by providing a perspective on the roles of different microfluidic valves and systems through comparison of their similarities and differences with transistors (valves) and systems in microelectronics. Despite some physical limitation of drawing analogies from electronic circuits, automated microfluidic circuit design can gain insights from electronic circuits to minimize external control units, while implementing high-complexity and high-throughput analysis.

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