Quartz tuning fork, a low-cost orthogonal measurement tool for the characterization of low-volume liquid reagents

Generally, expensive specimens that consume reagents in lesser quantities are characterized for use in multiple industries, specifically in those related to life sciences. In this study, we present quartz tuning fork (QTF) as a highly desirable sensor, which can perform the characterization of three liquid properties with a consumption of as low as 1 µL. By simultaneously recording the resonance frequency, amplitude, and quality factor, we established trends between the different properties (density, viscosity, and concentration) of the liquids. Additionally, simple mathematical functions are also presented that enable the determination of one of the three properties of unknown liquid samples by simple calculations. The proposed QTF-based sensor was successful in the characterization of expensive liquid reagents and the results presented in this work clearly demonstrate the potential of using QTFs as sensing platforms in a wide range of applications including biomedical diagnosis, petrochemical analysis, and environmental surveillance.