Fabrication and test of an electrochemical microactutor

Dong Eun Lee; Steven A. Soper; Wanjun Wang

doi:10.1117/12.650850

23 January 2006 Fabrication and test of an electrochemical microactutor

Dong Eun Lee, Steven A. Soper, Wanjun Wang

Proceedings Volume 6112, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems IV; 61120N (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.650850
Event: MOEMS-MEMS 2006 Micro and Nanofabrication, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

This paper reports on the design, fabrication, and analysis of an electrochemical (ECM) microactuator. The driving mechanism of the ECM actuator is based on the reversible electrolysis process of water. The expansion and reduction of gas bubbles generated in a micro electrochemical chamber during a reversible electrolysis process can be used to provide a pressure difference in microlfuidic systems. The ECM actuator has a very simple design consisting of inlet/outlet channels, reservoirs, and electrochemical reaction chamber. The fluidic components of the ECM actuator were fabricated on a glass substrate using UV lithography of SU-8 using both Pt black and Ag/AgCl electrodes. The Pt black and Ag/AgCl coated electrodes were supplied with controlled electropotentials for active control of expansion and shrinkage of gas bubbles using reproducible electrochemical reactions. The theoretical volume change rate of gas bubbles was simulated as a function of time using the ideal gas law and compared with the measured volume change. The results show that the simulation can be used to predict trends of the volume change by the electrochemical reactions and also, the device can serve as a promising microactuator for microfluidic applications.

Citation Download Citation

Dong Eun Lee, Steven A. Soper, and Wanjun Wang "Fabrication and test of an electrochemical microactutor", Proc. SPIE 6112, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems IV, 61120N (23 January 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.650850

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