Development and control of microfluidic systems

Abstract

The first stage of the project was to perform tests for controlled and optimized machining of BK7 optical glass by femtosecond laser. Parameters such as energy, overlapping pulses, and the focal position variation were investigated for a better extraction of the material. Microchannels, microvalves, micropumps, mixers, reactors, heaters and other components were developed to compose applied microfluidic systems. Microchannels built in BK7 glass separated by a PDMS film form the basis of the microfluidic circuits. The reagent flow control is done by pneumatic mini-valves controlled by an Arduino microcontroller through a Labview platform. This work shows the components developed and two microfluidic systems created. The first contains a microfluidic circuit capable of replicating enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with a much lower cost of materials. The second has a microfluidic circuit for the production of NaYF4 fluorescent nanocrystals specially used as markers in images of biological systems.