Testing the fast electrochemical micropump with PDMS membrane
Microfluidic systems are widely used in various applications, including precise delivery of drugs into organs or tissues. The drug delivery system should have a compact pump with a high flow rate and precise dosage accuracy. In this work, we propose a novel micropump based on an electrochemical actuator that meets these requirements. It contains a glass substrate with three actuators, and a silicon substrate with a channel for a pumped liquid. Side walls of the actuators and channels are made of photoresist SU-8. The pumping is performed peristaltically. The working part of the pump has a size of 3 mm3, which is an order of magnitude smaller in comparison with conventional devices. Compact size ensures ultra-precise dosage of 0.14 nl that is necessary for drug delivery systems. Design and testing procedure are described in detail, and working characteristics are provided.