ECF micropump-integrated Micro droplet generating device and its applications

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26289026
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Design engineering/Machine functional elements/Tribology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: KIM Joon-wan 東京工業大学, 科学技術創成研究院, 准教授 (40401517)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 吉田 和弘 東京工業大学, 精密工学研究所, 教授 (00220632) ; 嚴 祥仁 東京工業大学, 精密工学研究所, 助教 (20551576) ; 横田 眞一 東京工業大学, 精密工学研究所, 教授 (10092579)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロポンプ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

An electro-conjugate fluid (ECF) is a kind of functional fluid. A strong and active jet flow of ECF can be generated between electrodes surrounded by ECF, when high DC voltage is applied to the electrodes. In order to realize a micro droplet generating device embedding a micro pump inside, we integrated the ECF jet effect as a driving mechanism and MEMS technology as its fabrication. This micro droplet generating device is composed of (a) an ECF micropump for driving oil, (b) an ECF syringe micropump for driving aqueous solution, and (c) micro fluidic channels, all of which are made by MEMS technology of batch process. It can be manufactured with one chip. All components of this micro droplet generating device were successfully fabricated. The performance of them was clarified, and its effectiveness was confirmed.

Free Research Field

マイクロメカトロニクス