PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 17129585

Pressure-driven flow control system for nanofluidic chemical process.

Eiichiro Tamaki·Akihide Hibara·Haeng-Boo Kim·Manabu Tokeshi·Takehiko Kitamori
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We developed a novel flow control system for a nanofluidic chemical process. Generally, flow control in nanochannels is difficult because of its high-pressure loss with very small volume flow rate. In our flow control method, liquid pressure in a microchannel connected to the nanochannels is regulated by utilizing a backpressure regulator. The flow control method was verified by using simple structured microchip, which included parallel nanochannels. We found that the observed flow rate was three times lower than the value expected from Hagen-Poiseuille's equation. That implied a size-dependent viscosity change in the nanochannels. Then, we demonstrated mixing of two different fluorescent solutions in a Y-shaped nanochannel and also a proton exchange reaction in the Y-shaped nanochannel. The flow control method will contribute to further integration of nanochemical systems.

Explore related subjects

MicrofluidicsNanotechnologyPressureEvaluation StudyJournal Article

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Eiichiro Tamaki, Akihide Hibara, Haeng-Boo Kim, Manabu Tokeshi, Takehiko Kitamori. 2006-11-28. Pressure-driven flow control system for nanofluidic chemical process.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2006.10.097

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2022

Multiplexed microfluidic chip for cell co-culture.

Paracrine signaling is challenging to study in vitro, as conventional culture tools dilute soluble factors and offer little to no spatiotemporal control over signaling. Microfluidic chips offer potential to address both of these issues. However, few solutions offer both control over onset and duration of cell-cell communication, and high throughput. We have developed a microfluidic chip designed to culture cells in adjacent chambers, separated by valves to selectively allow or prevent exchange of paracrine signals. The chip features 16 fluidic inputs and 128 individually-addressable chambers arranged in 32 sets of 4 chambers. Media can be continuously perfused or delivered by diffusion, which we model under different culture conditions to ensure normal cell viability. Immunocytochemistry assays can be performed in the chip, which we modeled and fine-tuned to reduce total assay time to 1 h. Finally, we validate the use of the chip for co-culture studies by showing that HEK293Ta cells respond to signals secreted by RAW 264.7 immune cells in adjacent chambers, only when the valve between the chambers is opened.

Microfluidics↗
PubMed2006

How the capillary burst microvalve works.

The capillary burst microvalve offers an attractive means to regulate microliquid flow owing to its simple structure and operation process. However, there existed no rigorous theoretical work to elucidate how the valve works and consequently to predict the valve-bursting condition. Therefore, here we report the theoretical investigation of how the capillary burst valve can stop the advancing liquid meniscus and when it bursts. We confirm our theory with experiments using a centrifugal microfluidic valve system fabricated by soft lithography.

Microfluidics↗