Short Report on Polymer Based Automated Fluid Machines for Applications in Microfluidics

In this experimental work, a couple of gradual expansion microchannels are fabricated by polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) using the maskless lithography, hot embossing lithography and direct bonding technique. Dyed ethylene glycol and dyed water are the prepared working liquids. The CMOS camera catching 25 frames per second with a corresponding time-scale resolution of 0.04 second is used to record each surface-driven microfluidic flow of dyed ethylene glycol and dyed water in the fabricated devices. Leakage-free microfluidic flow is recorded in each case due to proper direct bonding technique. The surface-driven microfluidic flow is governed due to thermodynamic effect. 100% separation efficiency is experimentally achieved in the polymer-based microfluidic lab-on-a-chip systems as automated fluid machines after filtration of polystyrene microparticles from aqueous microparticle suspensions. This particular experimental work may be suitable for commercial microfluidic applications.