DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF PIEZOELECTRIC β-POLY(VINYLIDENE FLUORIDE)

MICROACTUATORS FOR MICROFLUIDIC APPLICATIONS

University of Minho Author* VANESSA CARDOSO

School of Engineering
Centre of Biological Engineering Supervisor: Graça Minas, Co-Supervisor: Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez
* vanessa@dei.uminho.pt

1. Contextualization and Motivation 4. Experimental Procedure and Results Thickness study

5000
4.1 Fabrication of the β-PVDF polymer film by spin-coating One deposition:
20 wt% PVDF
Rapid driving and mixing of small amount of fluidic species are very 15 wt% PVDF
important for many biomedical applications. These tasks are 4000 •Thickness: 300nm to
10 wt% PVDF
Variables: Objectives:

Film thickness (nm)

challenging for microfluidic systems due to the small dimensions of 4.5μm;
•Temperature of crystallization; •High surface quality; 3000
the channels involved. Mixing by diffusion in microfluidic systems can •>70% transmittance;
•PVDF/DMF mass ratio; •High β-phase content;
involve long and complex transit times. •Angular velocity of the spin-coater. 2000 •>90% β-phase content.
•Controlled thickness.
• 1000
Multiple deposition:
2. Objectives Morphology study
•Thickness: up to 25μm
Development of a new mixing system of fluids for microfluidic 0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
thick;
applications that overcomes the above limitations and presents the Angular velocity (rpm) •>70% transmittance;
Figure 4 – Film thickness as a function of the angular velocity of the spin-coater and
following advantages over the existing mixing systems: PVDF/DMF mass ratio (for one deposition).
• >75% β-phase content.
•No moving parts;
•Easy processing ; Polarization by Corona Charge
•Easy integration; Electromechanical
For a β-PVDF with 25μm thick crystallized at 30ºC and with 75%
•Easy control system; ≠ systems α-phase
(microvalves, β-phase content  A piezoelectric constant (d33 ) of -21pC/N (for an
•Inexpensive; (a) (b) (c)
micropumps,
•Transparent (important for systems …) measurement).
with optical electric field of 625 kV.m-1 and a current of 20 μA during a period of 45
90
minutes at 100ºC) was obtained.
80
70
•Good quality;
3. Theoretical background and implementation concept Transmittance (%)
60
•Smooth and flat surface;
50
20ºC 4.2 Feasibility study of acoustic streaming based on β-PVDF
Acoustic streaming based on a piezoelectric material 40
30
30ºC
50ºC •Easy deposition of conductive electrodes;
The application of an A.C. electrical signal to the contacts of a 20
70ºC

piezoelectric material causes the generation of acoustic waves which 10 •Easy polarization. Amplitude signal (V)
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
promote the motion and consequent mixing of the fluids, phenomenon
400 450 500 550 600 650 700
1400
Figure 2 – PVDF films crystallized
Wavelength (nm) (d) at: (a) 20ºC, (b) 30ºC (similar for 50ºC), (c) 80ºC; •β-PVDF film with AZO electrodes
called acoustic streaming (Fig. 1). (d) Transmittance spectra in function of the temperature ofcrystallization. 1200
underneath SU-8 microcuvettes.
1000 •Mixture of Far diagnostic kit and

Mixture Time (s)

Piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) polymer - PVDF β-phase content study Frequency signal
standard of urine with 20 mg/dl of
800
•Easy processing into thin-films; uric acid: performed in Clinical
•Flexible and weightless; 600 Analysis for uric acid measurement.
•Low mechanical and acoustic impedance; 400
Am plitude signal •Gain of 55% with acoustic
•Transparent;
•Good piezoelectric constant;
> Ceramics Table 1 – β-phase content in function of 200
Figure
-2000 5–2000Absorbance
streaming at 10V and 10Mhz.
at 550nm as function of time for 20 mg/dl of uric acid
the temperature of crystallization 0 4000 6000 8000 10000120001400016000
Transmittance (%)

•Inexpensive; (calculation based on the FTIR-ATR concentration, Frequency

without signal
and (kHz)
with acoustic streaming at different amplitudes and
• < Ceramics spectra). frequencies of the sinusoidal signal applied to the contacts of the β-PVDF film.
• Temperature of β-phase (%) α-phase (%)
• 20ºC 20
crystallization (ºC) 83 18
Side view 30ºC 30 81 21
• Acoustic α-phase 50ºC 50 76 23
Heating
streaming Microchannel β-phase 80ºC 70 32 67
• Water 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 I received the M.Sc degree in Biomedical Engineering from
• Dye Mistura Wavenumber (cm )
-1
the University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal in 2008.
• Figura 3 – FTIR-ATR spectra of the Since October 2008, I am a Ph.D. student at the University of
• Beta-PVDF with PVDF films at different temperatures of Minho,
•2 prizes of Guimarães,. Portugal where my thesis deals with
merit scholarship
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TCO electrodes

• crystallization.
Results summary: mixinginand
•1 book chapter theanalysis of fluids
Microfluidics andinNanofluidics
biomedical microdevices.
Handbook.
•
Microfluidic
system
•Room temperature: porous and white films, high β-phase content •4 papers in international scientific periodicals with referees.
•13 papers in conference proceedings.
•30ºC: non-porous, transparent, high β-phase content
Figure 1 – Schematic representation of a microfluidicsystem Signalwith the piezoelectric β-
PVDF polymer deposited
Generator
underneath the microchannels in order to generate the
Beta-PVDF
•↑ temperature : non-porous, transparent, ↓ β-phase content •PhD and project supported by the FCT: grants SFRH/BD/44289/2008,
PTDC/BIO/70017/2006 and PTDC/CTM/69362/2006.
with TCO electrodes
acoustic streaming and consequent mixing of the fluids. A.C. Signal

Engenharia para a Qualidade de Vida: SAÚDE, LAZER E AMBIENTE– Semana da Escola de Engenharia -11 a 16 de Outubro de 2010