Pressure drop per unit length is key to limiting the magnitude of flow in vascular systems and fluidic devices.Thisstudy presents a straightforward,pressure-responsive method to enhance flow compliance in dendritic mi...Pressure drop per unit length is key to limiting the magnitude of flow in vascular systems and fluidic devices.Thisstudy presents a straightforward,pressure-responsive method to enhance flow compliance in dendritic microfluidicsystems by manipulating the local elasticity.A series of dendritic fluidic networks with varying numbers of elasticelements were developed using replica molding of the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane in a single fabrication step.These elements,consisting of thin elastic membranes,deform under pressure,unlike rigid walls.The geometry andhydrodynamic properties of the networks were characterized by flow velocity measurements and fluorescencemicroscopy.The most elastic network showed a significant increase in compliance with thin membranes replacingrigid walls,resulting in a non-linear increase in flow rate.Selective placement of elastic elements allowed pressurecontrolledflow directionality.This approach reduces pressure loss,does not require complicated fabrication steps,andallows dynamic flow manipulation in specific regions of microfluidic networks.展开更多
基金funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG,German Research Foundation)under Germany’s Excellence Strategy-EXC-2193/1-390951807.
文摘Pressure drop per unit length is key to limiting the magnitude of flow in vascular systems and fluidic devices.Thisstudy presents a straightforward,pressure-responsive method to enhance flow compliance in dendritic microfluidicsystems by manipulating the local elasticity.A series of dendritic fluidic networks with varying numbers of elasticelements were developed using replica molding of the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane in a single fabrication step.These elements,consisting of thin elastic membranes,deform under pressure,unlike rigid walls.The geometry andhydrodynamic properties of the networks were characterized by flow velocity measurements and fluorescencemicroscopy.The most elastic network showed a significant increase in compliance with thin membranes replacingrigid walls,resulting in a non-linear increase in flow rate.Selective placement of elastic elements allowed pressurecontrolledflow directionality.This approach reduces pressure loss,does not require complicated fabrication steps,andallows dynamic flow manipulation in specific regions of microfluidic networks.
