K. Ikuta, T. Adachi, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan; T. Hasegawa, Osaka Institute of Technology, Osaka, Japan
A versatile micro fluidic device "Biochemical IC Family" based on the concept of IC chip-set family has been proposed and developed by the authors. Several types of biochemical IC containing multiple micro fluidic devices such as reactors, concentrators and one-way valves have been already developed and we have demonstrated that a luminous enzyme of firefly was synthesized using these chips. Since all chemical fluids were supply by the external pumps and valves in the past experiment, the micro pump chip and micro switching valve chip are demanded for total IC family.
In this paper, the prototype of the micro switching valve chip was fabricated successfully. Shape memory alloy (SMA) micro actuator was utilized for switching operation. The micro switching valve chip succeeded in switching outlets quickly. All of the parts were inserted during fabrication using our proprietary hybrid micro stereo lithography. In addition, basic performance of the switching valve chip was verified experimentally, using simple total reactor system which was constructed by stacking up the switching valve chip and other biochemical IC chips. A new era where various kinds of reactor systems can be constructed by chemists in their own laboratory will come, using these biochemical IC chips.
Summary: This paper describes the development of the micro switching valve chip, which are actuated by SMA micro actuator. The switching valve chip with two outlets has a unique valve mechanism with a silicone rubber. The switching valve chip succeeded in switching two outlets using only one micro SMA actuator. Basic performance was verified experimentally, using several biochemical IC chips. In addition, the switching valve chip was fabricated using our original method of hybrid micro stereo lithography (hybrid-IH process), thereby eliminating the need for micro assembly and bonding.
