High performance electromagnetic micropump with bio-inspired synchronous valves for integrated microfluidics

Micropumps are regarded as essential components which provide power for fluids or gas in microfluidic systems, and require high flow-rate performance, versatility, miniaturization, and integration for applications. This paper presents a novel microfluidic device which features an easily-integrable high-performance electromagnetic micropump with bio-inspired gears synchronous check valves. The micropump includes a silicon microchannel, magnetic piston, one or two electromagnetic actuators, and two pairs of bio-inspired geared synchronous valves which open and close subject to pressure differences. Two micropumps with different drive modes—that is, mono and dual drive mode—and volumes—namely, 0.51 cm³ and 0.62 cm³—were fabricated and tested using a bi-directional pulse power supply under different frequency and current conditions. The proposed device achieved maximum net flow rate of 1913.24 μL/min in deionized water and a flow-rate volume ratio of 3.09 mL min⁻¹ cm⁻³ in opened test system and showed great potential of pumping in closed fluid circuit with different resistances. The bio-inspired valve has two synchronous sub-valves to reach higher response and opening, and the valve synchronization ratio of sub-valves was more than 90 %. The test was conducted for working fluids of different types and viscosities, highlighting its versatility. Overall, this micropump with bio-inspired valves and miniaturized actuators combined with its high-performance flow rate and working-fluid versatility—demonstrated its potential to be used in integrated microfluidic applications such as bio/chemical analysis and lab-on-a-chip applications.