What is a microfluidic valve?
A microvalve is microscale valve, i.e. a microfluidic two-port component that regulates the flow between two fluidic ports. Microvalves are basic components in microfluidic devices, such as Labs-on-a-chip, where they are used to control the fluidic transport.
What is microfluidic flow?
Microfluidics is both the science which studies the behaviour of fluids through micro-channels, and the technology of manufacturing microminiaturized devices containing chambers and tunnels through which fluids flow or are confined.
How do microfluidic valves work?
An electrostatic vale in a microfluidic device works by combining a moving conductive top electrode with an electric circuit to open and close the valve. In terms of scalability and integration, it’s important that microvalve can be easily integrated into a device system and require a low threshold to actuate properly.
What are microfluidic sensors?
Biosensor is a kind of analytical device which combines biological sensitive recognition element (such as nucleic acids, enzymes, antibodies) with a physicochemical detector for analytes analysis in a sample.
What is microfluidic platform?
A microfluidic platform allows to perform a set of fluidic unit operations that are enabled by a set of fluidic elements, which are designed for easy combination with a well-defined (and low-cost) fabrication technology.
What is a microfluidic assay?
The term microfluidics refers to devices, systems, and methods for the manipulation of fluid flows with characteristic length scales in the micrometer range7. Microfluidic systems display fundamentally different properties from everyday perceptions of how fluids behave.
Why are microvalves important in microfluidic fabrication?
The microvalve is one of the most important components in microfluidic systems, and its functions include flow regulation, on/off switching, sealing of biomolecules, micro/nano particles, chemical reagents, etc.
What are microfluidic channels?
The use of microfluidic channels allows patterning surfaces by restricting the flow of fluids to desired regions of a substrate. The patterning components — such as ligands, proteins, and cells — are deposited from the solution to create a pattern on the substrate.
How are microfluidic devices made?
Microfluidic chips are usually fabricated by making thin grooves or small wells on the surface of a layer, and then enclosing those features by means of a second layer to form microchannels or chambers. Channels need to be leak-proof thus the layers must be properly bonded.
What is microfluidic PCR?
Microfluidics have been widely used for different DNA amplification processes (PCR, qPCR, RT-PCR). Microfluidic devices allow to accelerate PCR processes, reduce reagent consumption, reach high-throughput assays and integrate pre or post-PCR assays on-chip.