Semester of Graduation
Fall 2023
Degree
Master of Science in Biological and Agricultural Engineering (MSBAE)
Department
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Flow velocity is a vital parameter for the operation of biomimetic and lab-based microfluidic systems. Optimization of lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip devices is largely dependent on the precise knowledge of the on-chip fluid velocity. Off-chip sensors which operate on heat transfer and mass transport principles are commonly used, but these sensors lack the capability of real-time on-chip flow characterization. An impedance-based flow sensor containing two coplanar electrodes on a glass substrate is proposed. The sensor’s working principle is based on the electrical double layer theory in which adsorbed ions at the electrode-electrolyte surface are exchanged at a variable rate dependent on flow rate and AC frequency. Microfluidic device fabrication is discussed, and the electrode and microchannel geometries are optimized through rapid prototyping. On-chip velocity is correlated to the measured change in AC resistance, resulting in an impedance-based sensor which can discriminate between flow rates as low as 20 nL/s.
Date
8-24-2023
Recommended Citation
North, Jack, "Impedance-Based Sensor for the Characterization of Flow in a Microfluidic Channel" (2023). LSU Master's Theses. 5839.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/5839
Committee Chair
Monroe, William T.
Included in
Biological Engineering Commons, Biomaterials Commons, Biomedical Commons, Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation Commons, Other Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons