Microfluidics

Microfluidics deals with the behavior , precise control and manipulation

of fluids that are geometrically constrained to a small, typically sub-
millimeter, scale at which capillary penetration governs mass transport.
Origin of microfluidics ?

• Microfluidics emerged in the beginning of the 1980s and is used in

the development of inkjet print heads, DNA chips, lab-on-a-
chip technology, micro-propulsion, and micro-thermal technologies.

• It is a multidisciplinary field at the intersection of

engineering, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, nanotechnology,
and biotechnology, with practical applications in the design of
systems in which low volumes of fluids are processed to
achieve multiplexing, automation, and high-throughput screening.
Concept of Microfluidics.
• Laminar flow .
• Presser driven flow.
• Electro-osmotic flow.
Laminar flow.
• Laminar flow is fluid flow characterized by parallel lines flowing
linearly with little to no mixing. Specifically, flow is determined to be
laminar at low Reynolds numbers.
• The Reynolds number can be calculated with the following equation;
Re=inertial forces/viscous forces=ρvD/μ
Pressure driven flow.
• Pressure driven flow is commonly found in fluid systems, including
microfluidic devices. At this kind of flow , fluid is pumped through the
device by positive displacement pumps. One of the basic assumptions
of fluid dynamics for pressure driven flow is so-called no-slip
boundary condition, which means, that velocity at the walls must be
zero. In this case velocity has only component in z direction and the
Navier-Stokes equation is,
Electro-osmotic flow .
• Electro osmotic flow (or electro-osmotic flow, often abbreviated EOF;
synonymous with electro osmosis or electro endosmosis) is the
motion of liquid induced by an applied potential across a porous
material, capillary tube, membrane, micro channel, or any other fluid
conduit.
Application of microfluidics.
• Biotechnology.
• Bio sensors.
• Lab on a chip.
• Micro reactions.
• Flow Cytometry Systems.
• microliter chemical analyte sensing.
• Microfluidic In-flow Decantation..
• An Automated Portable Microfluidic Microscopy System.