A two-liquid electroosmotic pump using low applied voltage and power

作者：Litster Shawn; Suss Matthew E; Santiago Juan G^*

来源：Sensors and Actuators A: Physical , 2010, 163(1): 311-314.

DOI：10.1016/j.sna.2010.07.008

• Micropump
• Electroosmotic pump
• Electrokinetic pump
• Flexible membrane pump
• Drug delivery
• Concentration polarization

We report the development and experimental analysis of a two-liquid electroosmotic (EO) pump. The pump uses a collapsible and impermeable membrane to separate the liquid delivered from a working electrolyte solution optimized for EO pumping. To achieve high pressures at low voltages, we use a porous glass substrate with 450 nm mean diameter pores and a 1 mM sodium borate electrolyte. Results show that the membranes add negligible pressure load and that the pump can deliver adequately stable flow rates after an initial transient period. At flow rates and pressures suitable for drug delivery (order 10 mu l/min and a few kPa), the pump requires an applied voltage and power of less than 3V and 75 mu W, respectively. Based on the relative scaling of flow rate, current, and time, we hypothesize that distinct initial transients in flow rate are attributable to concentration polarization and its effects on the spatiotemporal ionic strength of the working fluid.

• 出版日期2010-9