阅读说明：本技术 电渗微泵装置及电渗微泵装置组 (Electroosmosis micropump device and electroosmosis micropump device set ) 是由 高猛 叶乐 于 2019-09-11 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明属于微流控技术领域,具体涉及一种电渗微泵装置及电渗微泵装置组。本发明所述的电渗微泵装置包括流体微通道和微针电极,所述流体微通道用于连通泵送流体的微流道进口和微流道出口,所述微针电极包括分别设于所述微流道进口和所述微流道出口的第一微针型电极和第二微针型电极,所述第一微针型电极和所述第二微针型电极相对设置,且所述第一微针型电极和所述第二微针型电极均不与所述流体微通道相导通。根据本发明的电渗微泵装置,能够为流体微通道的内部提供平行、均匀的电场,产生稳定电渗驱动力,同时能够解决电极表面的水解问题,极大提高微泵运行的稳定行和使用寿命。(The invention belongs to the technical field of microfluidics, and particularly relates to an electroosmosis micropump device and an electroosmosis micropump device set. The electroosmosis micropump device comprises a fluid microchannel and a microneedle electrode, wherein the fluid microchannel is used for communicating a microchannel inlet and a microchannel outlet for pumping fluid, the microneedle electrode comprises a first microneedle type electrode and a second microneedle type electrode which are respectively arranged at the microchannel inlet and the microchannel outlet, the first microneedle type electrode and the second microneedle type electrode are oppositely arranged, and the first microneedle type electrode and the second microneedle type electrode are not communicated with the fluid microchannel. The electroosmosis micropump device can provide a parallel and uniform electric field for the interior of the fluid microchannel, generate stable electroosmosis driving force, solve the problem of hydrolysis of the surface of an electrode, and greatly improve the running stability and the service life of the micropump.)

1. An electroosmotic micropump device, comprising:

a fluid microchannel for communicating a microchannel inlet and a microchannel outlet for pumping fluid;

the micro-needle electrode comprises a first micro-needle type electrode and a second micro-needle type electrode which are respectively arranged at the inlet of the micro-channel and the outlet of the micro-channel, the first micro-needle type electrode and the second micro-needle type electrode are oppositely arranged, and the first micro-needle type electrode and the second micro-needle type electrode are not communicated with the fluid micro-channel.

2. The electroosmotic micropump device according to claim 1, wherein the first microneedle electrode and the second microneedle electrode each comprise a plurality of microneedles arranged in parallel, the plurality of microneedles being respectively arranged opposite to the fluid microchannels.

3. The electroosmotic micropump device according to claim 1, wherein the first microneedle electrode and the second microneedle electrode each comprise a plurality of microneedles arranged in parallel, and the plurality of microneedles are respectively provided on both sides of the fluid microchannel.

4. The electroosmotic micropump device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the microneedle electrode further comprises a substrate, the plurality of microneedles are arranged in parallel on the substrate, and the substrate is connected to a power source.

5. The electroosmotic micropump device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the tips of the microneedles are flush with the bottom surface of the fluid microchannel, respectively.

6. An electroosmotic micropump device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the microneedles are conical or multi-faceted triangular pyramidal.

7. The electroosmotic micropump device according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the microneedle electrode is coated with a water-proof material.

8. An electroosmotic micropump device set comprising at least two electroosmotic micropump devices according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The electroosmotic micropump device set according to claim 8, wherein any one of the electroosmotic micropump devices in the electroosmotic micropump device set comprises the microneedle electrode and a substrate disposed corresponding to the microneedle electrode.

10. The electroosmotic micropump device assembly according to claim 8, wherein each electroosmotic micropump device in said electroosmotic micropump device assembly comprises a microneedle electrode, and a substrate is disposed between adjacent electroosmotic micropump devices, and said substrate is capable of simultaneously connecting said microneedle electrodes in any one electroosmotic micropump device.

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of microfluidics, and particularly relates to an electroosmosis micropump device and an electroosmosis micropump device set.

Background

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure only and is not necessarily prior art.

The electroosmosis micropump is a micro liquid driving device based on electroosmosis flow phenomenon, and is widely applied in the fields of micro total analysis, digital microfluidics, chip cooling, drug delivery and the like. The microelectrode is a key component for determining the driving performance of the electroosmosis micropump, and the manufacturing material and the integration process of the microelectrode have important influence on the compactness and the driving performance of the integral structure of the micropump.

The traditional electroosmosis micropump mainly adopts a thin film microelectrode to realize compact design and improve the integration level, and the thin film microelectrode provides an electroosmosis driving electric field for fluid at the bottom of a microchannel through a deposition or sputtering process. However, the microelectrode can not generate an electric field parallel to the microchannel because of being arranged at the bottom of the microchannel, so that the effective utilization rate of voltage is greatly reduced. In recent years, porous film microelectrodes are developed and parallelly attached to the inlet and outlet surfaces of the two sides of a porous medium microchannel film to improve the effective utilization rate of voltage, but the porous film microelectrodes need to be precisely aligned with the porous medium microchannel film, so that the difficulty is high, and due to the difference of the pore sizes and densities of the two films, the microelectrodes often cover the fluid pore channels of the porous medium microchannel film, so that the resistance at the inlet and outlet is increased, and the flow is reduced.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to at least solve the problem that the wind wheel shakes in the working process. The purpose is realized by the following technical scheme:

a first aspect of the present invention provides an electroosmotic micropump device comprising:

a fluid microchannel for communicating a microchannel inlet and a microchannel outlet for pumping fluid;

the micro-needle electrode comprises a first micro-needle type electrode and a second micro-needle type electrode which are respectively arranged at the inlet of the micro-channel and the outlet of the micro-channel, the first micro-needle type electrode and the second micro-needle type electrode are oppositely arranged, and the first micro-needle type electrode and the second micro-needle type electrode are not communicated with the fluid micro-channel.

According to the electroosmosis micropump device, in the electroosmosis micropump driving process, the first microneedle type electrode and the second microneedle type electrode are simultaneously electrified, so that a parallel and uniform electric field can be provided for the interior of the fluid microchannel, stable electroosmosis driving force is generated, meanwhile, the first microneedle type electrode and the second microneedle type electrode are not communicated with the fluid microchannel, the hydrolysis problem of the surface of the electrodes can be solved, the problems of gas generation, high heat yield, corrosion and the like of the traditional film microelectrode are solved, and the running stability and the service life of the micropump are greatly improved.

In addition, the electroosmotic micropump device according to the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

the first micro-needle type electrode and the second micro-needle type electrode respectively comprise a plurality of micro-needles which are arranged in parallel, and the plurality of micro-needles are respectively arranged opposite to the fluid micro-channel.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the first microneedle electrode and the second microneedle electrode each comprise a plurality of microneedles arranged in parallel, and the plurality of microneedles are respectively disposed on both sides of the fluid microchannel.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the microneedle electrode further comprises a substrate, the plurality of microneedles are disposed in parallel on the substrate, and the substrate is connected to a power source.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the tips of the microneedles are flush with the bottom surface of the fluid microchannel.

In some embodiments of the invention, the microneedles are conical or faceted triangular pyramidal.

In some embodiments of the invention, the surface of the microneedle electrode is coated with a water-repellent material.

In another aspect of the present invention, an electroosmotic micro-pump device set is further provided, which includes at least two electroosmotic micro-pump devices as described above.

In some embodiments of the present invention, any one of the electroosmotic micropump devices in the set of electroosmotic micropump devices includes the microneedle electrode and a substrate disposed corresponding to the microneedle electrode.

In some embodiments of the present invention, each of the electroosmotic micropump devices in the electroosmotic micropump device set includes a microneedle electrode, and a substrate is disposed between adjacent electroosmotic micropump devices, and the substrate can be simultaneously connected to the microneedle electrode in any one of the electroosmotic micropump devices.

Drawings

Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Also, like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an electroosmotic micropump device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic view of a cross-sectional structure a-a at the first microneedle electrode of fig. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of an electroosmotic micropump device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a schematic view of a B-B cross-sectional structure at the first microneedle electrode of fig. 3;

fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first microneedle electrode according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first microneedle electrode according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The reference symbols in the drawings denote the following:

10: fluid microchannel, 11: inlet of micro-channel, 12: a micro flow channel outlet;

21: first microneedle electrode, 211: microneedles, 212: substrate, 22: a second microneedle electrode.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order described or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

For convenience of description, spatially relative terms, such as "inner", "outer", "lower", "below", "upper", "above", and the like, may be used herein to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. Such spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" or "over" the other elements or features. Thus, the example term "below … …" can include both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of an electroosmotic micropump device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a-a cross-sectional structure at the first microneedle electrode of fig. 1. A first aspect of the present invention proposes an electroosmotic micropump device comprising a fluid microchannel 10 and a microneedle electrode.

The fluid microchannel 10 is used to communicate a microchannel inlet 11 and a microchannel outlet 12 for pumping fluid.

The micro-needle electrode comprises a first micro-needle electrode 21 and a second micro-needle electrode 22 which are respectively arranged at the micro-channel inlet 11 and the micro-channel outlet 12, the first micro-needle electrode 21 and the second micro-needle electrode 22 are oppositely arranged, and the first micro-needle electrode 21 and the second micro-needle electrode 22 are not communicated with the fluid micro-channel 10.

According to the electroosmosis micropump device, in the electroosmosis micropump driving process, the first microneedle type electrode 21 and the second microneedle type electrode 22 are electrified simultaneously, so that a parallel and uniform electric field can be provided for the interior of the fluid microchannel 10, stable electroosmosis driving force is generated, meanwhile, the first microneedle type electrode 21 and the second microneedle type electrode 21 are not communicated with the fluid microchannel 10, the hydrolysis problem of the surface of the electrodes can be solved, the problems of gas production, high heat production, corrosion and the like of the traditional film microelectrode are eliminated, and the running stability and the service life of the micropump are greatly improved.

The fluid microchannel 10 may be integrally formed with the microchannel as a part of the microchannel, or a baffle or the like may be disposed in the microchannel to divide the inside of the microchannel into a plurality of fluid microchannels connected in parallel, and a first microneedle electrode 21 and a second microneedle electrode 22 are disposed at the inlet and outlet of the fluid microchannels 10, i.e., the inlet 11 and the outlet 12 of the microchannel, respectively, when a voltage is applied to the first microneedle electrode 21 and the second microneedle electrode 22, parallel and uniform electric field lines are generated in the parallel fluid microchannel 11, so that the wall of the fluid microchannel 11 generates an electroosmosis driving force to drive the liquid in the entire fluid microchannel 11. The electroosmotic drive flow and direction are determined by the magnitude and direction of the applied voltage. In order to maximally ensure that parallel and uniform electric field lines are generated in the fluid microchannel 11, the first microneedle electrode 21 and the second microneedle electrode 22 are disposed perpendicular to the fluid microchannel 11.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second microneedle electrodes 21 and 22 respectively include a plurality of microneedles 211 disposed in parallel, and the plurality of microneedles 211 are respectively disposed opposite to the fluid microchannel 10. The micro-needles 211 are connected with the positive and negative poles of the voltage through the substrate 212, the micro-needles 211 are arranged on the substrate 212 in parallel, and the substrate 212 is connected with a power supply. When a voltage is applied to the first microneedle electrode 21 and the second microneedle electrode 22, an electroosmotic flow is generated on the wall surface of the fluid microchannel 10 to drive the fluid flow. Because the microneedle 211 on the microneedle electrode has a cross-sectional size equivalent to that of the fluid microchannel 10, and the microneedle 211 and the fluid microchannel 10 are arranged oppositely and vertically, a uniform electric field parallel to the fluid microchannel 10 can be formed in the fluid microchannel 10, and thus the micropump can obtain uniform and stable driving performance.

The fluid microchannels are manufactured by an MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) micromachining process, the number of the fluid microchannels 10 arranged in parallel is multiple, and the sizes of gaps among the fluid microchannels 10 arranged in parallel are in micron, submicron and nanometer levels.

The fluid microchannel 10 is made of parylene, polyimide, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, silica gel, glass, silicon, or the like.

In addition, the cross section of the fluid microchannel 10 is either rectangular, or circular or triangular.

The microneedle electrode is made of a metal such as platinum, gold, platinum-iridium, tantalum, nickel, titanium, copper or stainless steel, or silicon, silicon dioxide, glass or polymer coated with at least one of the metals, and the thickness of the metal coating is in the nanometer range.

In order to isolate the problem that the metal on the micro-needle electrode is directly contacted with the fluid in the fluid micro-channel 10, so that gas is generated on the wall surface, heat is generated and the electrode is corroded, a layer of waterproof material is coated on the surface of the micro-needle electrode. In addition, the waterproof material is parylene, polyimide or the like, and the thickness of the waterproof coating is in a nanometer level. Therefore, the micro-needle electrode is separated from the fluid of the fluid micro-channel by the waterproof material, the problems of gas generation, heat generation, corrosion and the like of the traditional film microelectrode are solved, and the running stability and the service life of the micro-pump are greatly improved.

In addition, the shape of the microneedle may be designed as a cone or a polygonal pyramid, etc., so as to ensure that the electroosmotic flow generated on the wall surface of the fluid microchannel 10 drives the fluid flow without obstructing the fluid flow.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the tips of the microneedles are flush with the bottom surface of the fluid microchannel 10, respectively, so as to achieve the maximum driving force.

Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of an electroosmotic micropump device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a B-B cross-sectional structure at the first microneedle electrode of fig. 3. As shown in fig. 3 and 4, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second microneedle electrodes 21 and 22 respectively include a plurality of microneedles 211 disposed in parallel, and the plurality of microneedles 211 are respectively disposed at both sides of the fluid microchannel 10. Because the micro-needle 211 on the micro-needle electrode is tightly arranged at the two sides of the fluid micro-channel 10, the gap between the two is in nanometer or submicron order and keeps vertical, an electric field which is approximately parallel and evenly distributed can be formed in the fluid micro-channel 10, and the micro-pump can also obtain more uniform and stable driving performance.

In another aspect of the present invention, an electroosmotic micropump device set is further provided, wherein the electroosmotic micropump device set includes at least two electroosmotic micropump devices in the above embodiments, and a plurality of electroosmotic micropump devices are attached to each other and stacked to form a multilayer electroosmotic micropump device, so as to obtain an integrated electroosmotic micropump device with a flow rate increased by multiple times.

Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first microneedle electrode according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 5, in some embodiments of the present invention, an electroosmotic micropump device set includes four layers of electroosmotic micropump devices. Wherein, the first layer, the second layer, the third layer and the fourth layer are arranged from the top to the bottom in the figure shown in figure 5. The substrate is arranged between the first layer and the second layer, the substrate 212 is arranged between the third layer and the fourth layer, and the substrate 212 is simultaneously connected with the micro-needles 211 in any adjacent electroosmosis micro-pump device to form a double-sided micro-needle form, so that the arrangement of the substrate 212 is reduced, the flow area of the fluid in the fluid micro-channel 10 is increased, and the flow rate of the fluid is increased. Meanwhile, the second layer and the third layer are compared, the second layer and the third layer are respectively provided with the micro-needle 211 and the substrate 212 connected with the micro-needle 211, and the micro-needles 211 are arranged oppositely, so that the strength of an electric field is improved, and the circulation speed of fluid in the fluid micro-channel is improved.

Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first microneedle electrode according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 6, the connection form of the plurality of electroosmotic micropump devices in fig. 6 is consistent with that of the plurality of electroosmotic micropump devices in fig. 5, only the arrangement form of the microneedles 211 in the electroosmotic micropump devices is inconsistent with that of the fluid microchannels 10, and the combined electroosmotic micropump device set has the same effect as that of the electroosmotic micropump device set in fig. 5, and an integrated micropump with the flow rate increased by multiple times can be obtained.

The above description is only for the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.