Flow control concepts for thread-based microfluidic devices

TLDR

The emerging concept of thread‑based microfluidics shows great promise for inexpensive disease detection and environmental monitoring. The study aims to develop better flow control in thread‑based microfluidic devices to enable more sophisticated, functional sensor designs. The authors investigate fluid penetration in single and twined threads to understand velocity and penetration, informing flow‑control mechanisms. The study successfully prototyped flow‑control switches from multifilament threads, plastic films, and adhesive, enabling more complex, low‑cost sensor devices.

Abstract

The emerging concept of thread-based microfluidics has shown great promise for application to inexpensive disease detection and environmental monitoring. To allow the creation of more sophisticated and functional thread-based sensor designs, the ability to better control and understand the flow of fluids in the devices is required. To meet this end, various mechanisms for controlling the flow of reagents and samples in thread-based microfluidic devices are investigated in this study. A study of fluid penetration in single threads and in twined threads provides greater practical understanding of fluid velocity and ultimate penetration for the design of devices. “Switches” which control when or where flow can occur, or allow the mixing of multiple fluids, have been successfully prototyped from multifilament threads, plastic films, and household adhesive. This advancement allows the fabrication of more functional sensory devices which can incorporate more complex detection chemistries, while maintaining low production cost and simplicity of construction.