Self-sufficient, low-cost microfluidic pumps utilising reinforced balloons

Peter Thurgood; Sergio Aguilera Suarez; Sheng Chen; Christopher Gilliam; Elena Pirogova; Aaron R. Jex; Sara Baratchi; Khashayar Khoshmanesh

doi:10.1039/c9lc00618d

Self-sufficient, low-cost microfluidic pumps utilising reinforced balloons

Peter Thurgood^*, Sergio Aguilera Suarez, Sheng Chen, Christopher Gilliam, Elena Pirogova, Aaron R. Jex, Sara Baratchi, Khashayar Khoshmanesh

^*Corresponding author for this work

Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Here, we introduce a simple method for increasing the inflation pressure of self-sufficient pressure pumps made of latex balloons. Our method involves reinforcing the latex balloon with elastane fibres to restrict the expansion of the balloon and increase its inflation pressure. This allowed us to increase the operational inflation pressure of a latex balloon from 2.5 to 25 kPa. Proof-of-concept experiments show the suitability of the reinforced balloon for inducing lateral forces and recirculating flows, which are employed for hydrodynamic capturing of large human monocytes. We also demonstrate the ability for the rapid exchange of solutions in repeated cycles upon manual squeezing of the reinforced balloons. We also show the suitability of the reinforced balloon for studying the mechanobiology of human aortic endothelial cells under various shear stress levels. The simplicity, portability, affordability, hyper-elasticity and scalability of the reinforced balloon pumps make them suitable for a wide range of microfluidic applications.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2885-2896
Number of pages	12
Journal	Lab on a Chip
Volume	19
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c9lc00618d
Publication status	Published - 7 Sept 2019

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
A. R. J. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Foundation Career Development Fellowship (APP1126395). A. R. J. also acknowledges funding from the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support as well as Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme. E. P. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for funding 'The Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research' (NHMRC CRE APP1135076). S. B. acknowledges the Australian Research Council for Discovery for Early Career Researchers Award (DE170100239). A. R. J. and K. K. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for Discovery Grant (DP180102049).

Funding Information:
The authors wish to acknowledge RMIT's MicroNano Research Facility (MNRF) for fabrication of microfluidic devices. Authors also acknowledge Mr. David Welch for his valuable technical assistance. A. R. J. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Foundation Career Development Fellowship (APP1126395). A. R. J. also acknowledges funding from the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support as well as Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme. E. P. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for funding ‘The Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research’ (NHMRC CRE APP1135076). S. B. acknowledges the Australian Research Council for Discovery for Early Career Researchers Award (DE170100239). A. R.

Funding Information:
J. and K. K. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for Discovery Grant (DP180102049).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
Biochemistry
General Chemistry
Biomedical Engineering

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10.1039/c9lc00618d

Cite this

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title = "Self-sufficient, low-cost microfluidic pumps utilising reinforced balloons",

abstract = "Here, we introduce a simple method for increasing the inflation pressure of self-sufficient pressure pumps made of latex balloons. Our method involves reinforcing the latex balloon with elastane fibres to restrict the expansion of the balloon and increase its inflation pressure. This allowed us to increase the operational inflation pressure of a latex balloon from 2.5 to 25 kPa. Proof-of-concept experiments show the suitability of the reinforced balloon for inducing lateral forces and recirculating flows, which are employed for hydrodynamic capturing of large human monocytes. We also demonstrate the ability for the rapid exchange of solutions in repeated cycles upon manual squeezing of the reinforced balloons. We also show the suitability of the reinforced balloon for studying the mechanobiology of human aortic endothelial cells under various shear stress levels. The simplicity, portability, affordability, hyper-elasticity and scalability of the reinforced balloon pumps make them suitable for a wide range of microfluidic applications.",

author = "Peter Thurgood and Suarez, {Sergio Aguilera} and Sheng Chen and Christopher Gilliam and Elena Pirogova and Jex, {Aaron R.} and Sara Baratchi and Khashayar Khoshmanesh",

note = "Funding Information: A. R. J. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Foundation Career Development Fellowship (APP1126395). A. R. J. also acknowledges funding from the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support as well as Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme. E. P. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for funding 'The Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research' (NHMRC CRE APP1135076). S. B. acknowledges the Australian Research Council for Discovery for Early Career Researchers Award (DE170100239). A. R. J. and K. K. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for Discovery Grant (DP180102049). Funding Information: The authors wish to acknowledge RMIT's MicroNano Research Facility (MNRF) for fabrication of microfluidic devices. Authors also acknowledge Mr. David Welch for his valuable technical assistance. A. R. J. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Foundation Career Development Fellowship (APP1126395). A. R. J. also acknowledges funding from the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support as well as Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme. E. P. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for funding {\textquoteleft}The Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research{\textquoteright} (NHMRC CRE APP1135076). S. B. acknowledges the Australian Research Council for Discovery for Early Career Researchers Award (DE170100239). A. R. Funding Information: J. and K. K. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for Discovery Grant (DP180102049). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.",

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AU - Jex, Aaron R.

AU - Baratchi, Sara

AU - Khoshmanesh, Khashayar

N1 - Funding Information: A. R. J. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Foundation Career Development Fellowship (APP1126395). A. R. J. also acknowledges funding from the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support as well as Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme. E. P. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for funding 'The Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research' (NHMRC CRE APP1135076). S. B. acknowledges the Australian Research Council for Discovery for Early Career Researchers Award (DE170100239). A. R. J. and K. K. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for Discovery Grant (DP180102049). Funding Information: The authors wish to acknowledge RMIT's MicroNano Research Facility (MNRF) for fabrication of microfluidic devices. Authors also acknowledge Mr. David Welch for his valuable technical assistance. A. R. J. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Foundation Career Development Fellowship (APP1126395). A. R. J. also acknowledges funding from the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support as well as Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme. E. P. acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for funding ‘The Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research’ (NHMRC CRE APP1135076). S. B. acknowledges the Australian Research Council for Discovery for Early Career Researchers Award (DE170100239). A. R. Funding Information: J. and K. K. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for Discovery Grant (DP180102049). Publisher Copyright: © 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

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N2 - Here, we introduce a simple method for increasing the inflation pressure of self-sufficient pressure pumps made of latex balloons. Our method involves reinforcing the latex balloon with elastane fibres to restrict the expansion of the balloon and increase its inflation pressure. This allowed us to increase the operational inflation pressure of a latex balloon from 2.5 to 25 kPa. Proof-of-concept experiments show the suitability of the reinforced balloon for inducing lateral forces and recirculating flows, which are employed for hydrodynamic capturing of large human monocytes. We also demonstrate the ability for the rapid exchange of solutions in repeated cycles upon manual squeezing of the reinforced balloons. We also show the suitability of the reinforced balloon for studying the mechanobiology of human aortic endothelial cells under various shear stress levels. The simplicity, portability, affordability, hyper-elasticity and scalability of the reinforced balloon pumps make them suitable for a wide range of microfluidic applications.

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Self-sufficient, low-cost microfluidic pumps utilising reinforced balloons

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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