Mohammadamini Fatemeh, Rahbar Shahrouzi Javad, Samadi Mitra
Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2022 Feb 16;12(1):2642. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-06656-z.
In this study, a microfluidic cantilever flow sensor was designed and manufactured to monitor liquid flow rate within the range of 100-1000 µl/min. System simulation was also performed to determine the influential optimal parameters and compare the results with experimental data. A flowmeter was constructed as a curved cantilever with dimensions of 6.9 × 0.5 × 0.6 mm and a microchannel carved with a CO laser inside the cantilever beam. The fabrication substance was Polydimethylsiloxane. Different flow rates were injected using a syringe pump to test the performance of the flowmeter. Vertical displacement of the cantilever was measured in each flowrate using a digital microscope. According to the results, the full-scale overall device accuracy was up to ± 1.39%, and the response time of the sensor was measured to be 6.3 s. The microchip sensitivity was 0.126 µm/(µl/min) in the range of measured flow rates. The sensor could also be utilized multiple times with an acceptable error value. The experimental data obtained by the constructed microchip had a linear trend (R = 0.995) and were of good consistency with simulation results. Furthermore, according to the experimental and the simulation data, the initially curved cantilever structure had a higher bending and sensitivity level than a perfectly straight cantilever construction.
在本研究中，设计并制造了一种微流体悬臂式流量传感器，用于监测100 - 1000微升/分钟范围内的液体流速。还进行了系统模拟，以确定有影响的最佳参数，并将结果与实验数据进行比较。构建了一个流量计，它是一个尺寸为6.9×0.5×0.6毫米的弯曲悬臂，在悬臂梁内部用CO激光刻蚀出一个微通道。制造材料是聚二甲基硅氧烷。使用注射泵注入不同流速的液体，以测试流量计的性能。在每个流速下，使用数字显微镜测量悬臂的垂直位移。根据结果，整个装置的满量程精度高达±1.39%，传感器的响应时间测量为6.3秒。在所测量的流速范围内，微芯片灵敏度为0.126微米/(微升/分钟)。该传感器还可以多次使用，误差值可接受。所构建的微芯片获得的实验数据呈线性趋势(R = 0.995)，并且与模拟结果具有良好的一致性。此外，根据实验和模拟数据，初始弯曲的悬臂结构比完美笔直的悬臂结构具有更高的弯曲度和灵敏度。
