Water-clock-based autonomous flow sequencing in steadily rotating centrifugal microfluidic device

Abstract

In this paper, we report the demonstration of a flow sequencing method in a centrifugal microfluidic device rotated at a constant speed. The simple poly-dimethylsioxiane chip, which consists of microchannels, chambers, and vent holes, was integrated in a compact disk substrate, and multistep flow sequencing was executed by simply spinning the device at a constant rotational speed. All the triggers were controlled by a water clock using the liquid meniscus as the clock hand. The flow modes to the sample chambers were switched by switching the air supply to the sample chambers, depending of on whether the meniscus water clock was inside the channel connection (disabling air supply) or outside it (enabling air supply). A four-step flow sequence was successfully executed using two different connections of the chambers, namely, parallel connection and serial connection. Highly reproducible autonomous trigger timing with a typical error of less than 3% was achieved. Delicate adjustment of the flow sequencing by varying the channel geometry was also demonstrated. The time-scaling of the flow sequencing was accomplished by changing the viscosity of the fluid in the water clock. Additionally, a four-step flow sequencing involving a flow injection chain was successfully demonstrated by serial connection. Through combinations and further variations of these concepts, it is expected that the proposed method would be used to realize higher-order flow programs in steadily spinning centrifugal microfluidic devices.