Issue 21, 2012
From the journal:

Lab on a Chip

Fuel cell-powered microfluidic platform for lab-on-a-chip applications: Integration into an autonomous amperometric sensing device†

J. P. Esquivel,*a   J. Colomer-Farrarons,b   M. Castellarnau,c   M. Salleras,a   F. J. del Campo,a   J. Samitier,bde   P. Miribel-Catalàb  and  N. Sabatéa  

* Corresponding authors

a Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC) Campus UAB, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
E-mail: juanpablo.esquivel@imb-cnm.csic.es
Tel: + 34 935947700

b Discrete to Integrate Lab (D2I), Department of Electronics, Bioelectronics and Nanobioengineering Research Group (SIC-BIO), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, Planta 2, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

c Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

d Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), C/Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

e Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), C/María de Luna 11, Edificio CEEI, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain

Abstract

The present paper reports for the first time the integration of a microfluidic system, electronics modules, amperometric sensor and display, all powered by a single micro direct methanol fuel cell. In addition to activating the electronic circuitry, the integrated power source also acts as a tuneable micropump. The electronics fulfil several functions. First, they regulate the micro fuel cell output power, which off-gas controls the flow rate of different solutions toward an electrochemical sensor through microfluidic channels. Secondly, as the fuel cell powers a three-electrode electrochemical cell, the electronics compare the working electrode output signal with a set reference value. Thirdly, if the concentration measured by the sensor exceeds this threshold value, the electronics switch on an integrated organic display. This integrated approach pushes forward the development of truly autonomous point-of-care devices relying on electrochemical detection.

Graphical abstract: Fuel cell-powered microfluidic platform for lab-on-a-chip applications: Integration into an autonomous amperometric sensing device

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C2LC40946A
Article type
Technical Innovation
Submitted
17 Aug 2012
Accepted
29 Aug 2012
First published
31 Aug 2012

Lab Chip, 2012,12, 4232-4235

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Fuel cell-powered microfluidic platform for lab-on-a-chip applications: Integration into an autonomous amperometric sensing device

J. P. Esquivel, J. Colomer-Farrarons, M. Castellarnau, M. Salleras, F. J. del Campo, J. Samitier, P. Miribel-Català and N. Sabaté, Lab Chip, 2012, 12, 4232 DOI: 10.1039/C2LC40946A

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