Issue 9, 2005

Rapid method for design and fabrication of passive micromixers in microfluidic devices using a direct-printing process

Abstract

We developed a facile and rapid one-step technique for design and fabrication of passive micromixers in microfluidic devices using a direct-printing process. A laser printing mechanism was dexterously adopted to pattern the microchannels with different gray levels using vector graphic software. With the present method, periodically ordered specific bas-relief microstructures can be easily fabricated on transparencies by a simple printing process. The size and shape of the resultant microstructures are determined by the gray level of the graphic software and the resolution of the laser printer. Patterns of specific bas-relief microstructures on the floor of a channel act as obstacles in the flow path for advection mixing, which can be used as efficient mixing elements. The mixing effect of the resultant micromixer in microfluidic devices was evaluated using CCD fluorescence spectroscopy. We found that the mixing performance depends strongly on the gray level values. Under optimal conditions, fast passive mixing with our periodic ordered patterns in microfluidic devices has been achieved at the very early stages of the laminar flow. In addition, fabrication of micromixers using the present versatile technique requires less than an hour. The present method is promising for fabrication of micromixers in microfluidic devices at low cost and without complicated devices and environment, providing a simple solution to mixing problems in the micro-total-analysis-systems field.

Graphical abstract: Rapid method for design and fabrication of passive micromixers in microfluidic devices using a direct-printing process

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Feb 2005
Accepted
14 Jun 2005
First published
12 Jul 2005

Lab Chip, 2005,5, 974-978

Rapid method for design and fabrication of passive micromixers in microfluidic devices using a direct-printing process

A. Liu, F. He, K. Wang, T. Zhou, Y. Lu and X. Xia, Lab Chip, 2005, 5, 974 DOI: 10.1039/B502764K

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