Advances in Micropumps for Microfluidic Systems

Abstract

Micropumps play a crucial role in the microfluidic devices through their exact control and manipulation of fluid at the microscale. Advancements have been made in the creation of micropumps for applications ranging from chemical synthesis to biomedical applications. In this chapter an overview of the most recent developments in micropump technology and design, starting with understanding the working principles of micropumps like electrostatic, pneumatic, etc.as well as differences between Mechanical and Non-Mechanical pumps will be described. This chapter contains the recent developments in microfluidic channels, valves and actuators, as well as some general methods of fabrication of these micropumps (like soft-lithography, MEMS fabrication) along with examples. In the penultimate section, the chapter elaborates on the various applications of micropumps in environmental monitoring (such as particle counting, leak detection, etc.) and biomedical applications and point of care equipment. Finally, the chapter concludes about the future and markets of micropumps.