Abstract
World-to-chip (macro-to-micro) interface continues to be one of the most complicated, ineffective, and unreliable components in the development of emerging lab-on-a-chip systems involving integrated microfluidic operations. A number of irreversible (e.g., adhesive gluing) and reversible techniques (e.g., press fitting) have attempted to provide dedicated fluidic passage from standard tubing to miniature on-chip devices, none of which completely addresses the above concerns. In this paper, we present standardized adhesive-free microfluidic adaptors, referred to as Fit-to-Flow (F2F) Interconnects, to achieve reliable hermetic seal, high-density tube packing, self-aligned plug-in, reworkable connectivity, straightforward scalability and expandability, and applicability to broad lab-on-a-chip platforms; analogous to the modular plug-and-play USB architecture employed in modern electronics. Specifically, two distinct physical packaging mechanisms are applied, with one utilizing induced tensile stress in elastomeric socket to establish reversible seal and the other using negative pressure to provide on demand vacuum shield, both of which can be adapted to a variety of experimental configurations. The non-leaking performance (up to 336 kPa) along with high tube-packing density (of 1 tube/mm2) and accurate self-guided alignment (of 10 μm) have been characterized. In addition, a 3D microfluidic mixer and a 6-level chemical gradient generator paired with the corresponding F2F Interconnects have been devised to illustrate the applicability of the universal fluidic connections to classic lab-on-a-chip operations.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 727-732 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Lab on a Chip |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 21 2011 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Bioengineering
- Biochemistry
- Chemistry(all)
- Biomedical Engineering
Cite this
Fit-to-Flow (F2F) interconnects : Universal reversible adhesive-free microfluidic adaptors for lab-on-a-chip systems. / Chen, Arnold; Pan, Tingrui.
In: Lab on a Chip, Vol. 11, No. 4, 21.02.2011, p. 727-732.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Fit-to-Flow (F2F) interconnects
T2 - Universal reversible adhesive-free microfluidic adaptors for lab-on-a-chip systems
AU - Chen, Arnold
AU - Pan, Tingrui
PY - 2011/2/21
Y1 - 2011/2/21
N2 - World-to-chip (macro-to-micro) interface continues to be one of the most complicated, ineffective, and unreliable components in the development of emerging lab-on-a-chip systems involving integrated microfluidic operations. A number of irreversible (e.g., adhesive gluing) and reversible techniques (e.g., press fitting) have attempted to provide dedicated fluidic passage from standard tubing to miniature on-chip devices, none of which completely addresses the above concerns. In this paper, we present standardized adhesive-free microfluidic adaptors, referred to as Fit-to-Flow (F2F) Interconnects, to achieve reliable hermetic seal, high-density tube packing, self-aligned plug-in, reworkable connectivity, straightforward scalability and expandability, and applicability to broad lab-on-a-chip platforms; analogous to the modular plug-and-play USB architecture employed in modern electronics. Specifically, two distinct physical packaging mechanisms are applied, with one utilizing induced tensile stress in elastomeric socket to establish reversible seal and the other using negative pressure to provide on demand vacuum shield, both of which can be adapted to a variety of experimental configurations. The non-leaking performance (up to 336 kPa) along with high tube-packing density (of 1 tube/mm2) and accurate self-guided alignment (of 10 μm) have been characterized. In addition, a 3D microfluidic mixer and a 6-level chemical gradient generator paired with the corresponding F2F Interconnects have been devised to illustrate the applicability of the universal fluidic connections to classic lab-on-a-chip operations.
AB - World-to-chip (macro-to-micro) interface continues to be one of the most complicated, ineffective, and unreliable components in the development of emerging lab-on-a-chip systems involving integrated microfluidic operations. A number of irreversible (e.g., adhesive gluing) and reversible techniques (e.g., press fitting) have attempted to provide dedicated fluidic passage from standard tubing to miniature on-chip devices, none of which completely addresses the above concerns. In this paper, we present standardized adhesive-free microfluidic adaptors, referred to as Fit-to-Flow (F2F) Interconnects, to achieve reliable hermetic seal, high-density tube packing, self-aligned plug-in, reworkable connectivity, straightforward scalability and expandability, and applicability to broad lab-on-a-chip platforms; analogous to the modular plug-and-play USB architecture employed in modern electronics. Specifically, two distinct physical packaging mechanisms are applied, with one utilizing induced tensile stress in elastomeric socket to establish reversible seal and the other using negative pressure to provide on demand vacuum shield, both of which can be adapted to a variety of experimental configurations. The non-leaking performance (up to 336 kPa) along with high tube-packing density (of 1 tube/mm2) and accurate self-guided alignment (of 10 μm) have been characterized. In addition, a 3D microfluidic mixer and a 6-level chemical gradient generator paired with the corresponding F2F Interconnects have been devised to illustrate the applicability of the universal fluidic connections to classic lab-on-a-chip operations.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79551629835&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79551629835&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1039/c0lc00384k
DO - 10.1039/c0lc00384k
M3 - Article
C2 - 21109877
AN - SCOPUS:79551629835
VL - 11
SP - 727
EP - 732
JO - Lab on a Chip - Miniaturisation for Chemistry and Biology
JF - Lab on a Chip - Miniaturisation for Chemistry and Biology
SN - 1473-0197
IS - 4
ER -