(428a) Food, Pharmaceutical & Bioengineering Division Award: Control, Sensing, and Chemical Analysis using Microfluidic Devices

The potential uses of microfluidic devices in chemical processing and sensing is almost unlimited. Construction of these devices is currently relatively easy, and there are a large number of published â??lab on a chipâ? systems constructed from a variety of substrates using different actuation, sensing, and control components. In our work, we have focused on components and integrated systems that can be used to measure physical, chemical, and biochemical properties. The applications for these devices have ranged from disease diagnosis to pneumatic computing, and the construction complexity for each device can be very different. For instance, one of our simplest devices is a Newtonian and non-Newtonian viscometer that uses a single microfabricated channel made from a single substrate material. In contrast, our most complex device requires multiple substrates, metal depositions, and ion implants to form a complete system that detects and subtypes the influenza virus. Also, for some of our devices we have needed to redefine the typical low volume and velocities normally seen in microfluidic systems: we have made chips to monitor gallons of fluid per minute or which have fluid velocities approaching a Mach number of 1. In my talk, I will describe some of these devices and discuss the successes and challenges we have encountered. In addition, I will also describe some new areas we are exploring such as reducing water use in food production and continuous flow monitoring of process fluids.