A disposable thermopneumatic-actuated micropump stacked with PDMS layers and ITO-coated glass

A thermopneumatic-actuated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based micropump has been fabricated and its properties have been characterized. Diffusers are used as flow-rectifying elements instead of passive check valves. The advantages of the proposed micropump are the low cost fabrication process and the transparent properties of the PDMS and indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass. We present a PDMS micropump that is easily integrated with in-channel PDMS microvalves on the same substrate. The flow rate of the micropump increases linearly with increasing applied pulse voltage to the ITO heater with resistance of 6.54 kΩ. The peak flow rate of 78 nl/min is observed at the duty ratio of 10% for the applied pulse voltage of 55 V at 6 Hz.