Droplet Actuation Enhancement through Voltage Control and Hydrophobic Coating Selection

Abstract

This paper presents a novel digital microfluidics platform that utilizes PCB substrate designed on Easy EDA software and is based on electrowetting on a dielectric (EWOD) phenomenon. For droplet actuation, the platform’s performance was examined at different DC voltages ranging from 300V to 450V. The fabrication process was made simple and inexpensive by using readily available, low-cost ingredients including silicone oil, cooking oil, and olive oil with grafting tape as a dielectric layer. Compared to other oils used for droplet actuation, cooking oil yields the highest droplet velocity. Due to its affordable and easy-to-fabricate nature, our suggested digital microfluidics platform will be feasible for droplet actuation and can also be applied to medical diagnostic applications like DNA analysis and cell culture, as well as the detection of environmental pollutants.