Design and characterization of low power, low dead volume electrochemically-driven microvalve

• Electrochemically actuated micro-valve.
• Low power consumption (0.125 mA-h/actuation at 1VDC), makes it suitable for battery driven operation.
• Small overall size (18 mm × 18 mm × 13 mm).
• Low cost for manufacturing.
• Low dead volume actuation (∼1 μL).

We report here, the design and characterization of a low power, low dead volume electrochemically driven micro valve. The valve can be operated with AAAA battery (0.125 mA-h/actuation at 1VDC) and is portable enough to fit inside a drug delivery device (size ∼18 mm × 18 mm × 13 mm). The electrochemical nature of the actuator allows for precise control of the valve diaphragm just by controlling the actuation voltage. The initial prototype is shown to withstand backpressure up to 5 psi, and is stable for more than 10 h of continuous operation. Three different design iterations are discussed with progressive improvement in terms of power and actuation time. The valve design and choice of material allows it to be mass manufactured by molding and easily sterilizable.