Belmont SURFS

Analysis of Controlled Pressure Laminar Flow in Microfluidic Devices using the Foil-Embossed Method

Abstract

Microfluidic devices have gained scientific interest for numerous applications because researchers can tightly control the microenvironment with minimal reagent/sample. Microfluidic devices are channel networks with cross-sectional dimensions smaller than 1 millimeter that allow fluid flow through pressure gradients. A common pressure gradient to create flow is usually caused by diffusion using atmospheric pressure. In this study, the pressure gradient is controlled by a syringe pump. This causes a high pressure at one channel end versus the atmospheric pressure at the other end. A foil-embossed method was used to develop multiple designs to discover laminar flow. Continuous separation of color was observed between two different color liquid dyes. Channel widths and flow rates were altered to demonstrate the best devise to show laminar flow using controlled pressure.