Disposable PDMS Diaphragm Micropump Actuated by PZT

Through studying the micropump and microvalve used in microfluidic control chemical analysis from the design of structure, working principle and fabrication process, a novel PZT-driven micropump was developed. The construction and the fabrication process are quite simple. It consists of flexible PDMS pump diaphragm, base plate and piezo-bimorph actuator. Diaphragm, meanwhile, is an active valve whose functions are manipulating/directing/switching the flow direction (forward or backward) and bearing the load when in the closed state, and a buffer element too. Base plate has both nozzle/diffuser or straight hole and chamber made of silicon. The thickness of the micropump membrane is about 180 mum. The length, width and depth of micropump chamber cavity are 6 mm, 6 mm and 20 mum, respectively. The performances of the micropump, such as pump rate and backpressure, are characterized. As a flow-rectifying element, the diffusers and active valves are used instead of passive check valves. The flow rate and the backpressure of the micropump the type A and type B are about 1050 muL/min, 840 muL/min and 5 kPa when applying a 100 V square wave driving voltage at frequency of 35 Hz