Rapid, low-cost prototyping of centrifugal microfluidic devices for effective implementation of various microfluidic operations

Abstract

The work presented here details the implementation of a centrifugal microfluidic platform – the first of its kind in South Africa – as a foundation for the development of various microfluidic operations. Microfluidic systems enable the precise control of tiny amounts of fluid, usually in the range of nanolitres, handled in devices with fluid channel dimensions in the range of a few hundred micrometres. Centrifugal microfluidic systems, also referred to as lab-on-a-disc systems, provide a particularly attractive solution for implementing microfluidic operations, as pumps, valves and other fluidic operations can be achieved primarily using centrifugal forces, with only a small motor required to power the system. Numerous devices can be implemented on one disc as a result of radial symmetry, providing a high throughput of prototype devices for testing.