Abstract:
This research work focuses on the development of high-performance capillary pumps
for low-cost point-of-care diagnostic devices using printed circuit board (PCB) technology.
The study explores the design and fabrication of capillary pumps using PCBs and
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to create microfluidic devices. Two different designs of PCBbased micropumps with hexagonal-shaped micropillars are proposed, offering different
vertical distances between rows to achieve varying flow rates and fluid volumes. The
fabrication process involves designing the PCB microchannel, cutting the PCB fiber sheet,
creating silicon molds, pouring and curing PDMS, bonding the PDMS replicas to a substrate,
and testing the micropump's performance. Experimental setups are established to measure the
flow rate and pressure drop of different glycerin ratios in the microfluidic system. The results
indicate that as the glycerin content increases, the flow rate decreases due to increased fluid
viscosity. Design 1 consistently exhibits higher flow rates than Design 2 due to the smaller
gap distance between micropillars. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of PCB-based
capillary pumps in controlling fluid flow and offer valuable insights for the development of
low-cost point-of-care diagnostic devices. The design of micropumps for studying blood flow
at low flow rates offers significant advantages in investigating blood-related conditions. The
precise control overflow rates, realistic simulations, integration with microfluidic systems,
drug delivery studies, and reduced sample requirements all contribute to a deeper
understanding of blood disorders and the development of personalized treatment approaches
