Active digital microfluidic paper chips with inkjet-printed patterned electrodes

Abstract

Active, paper-based, microfluidic chips driven by electrowetting are fabricated and demonstrated for reagent transport and mixing. Instead of using the passive capillary force on the pulp to actuate a flow of a liquid, a group of digital drops are transported along programmed trajectories above the electrodes printed on low-cost paper, which should allow point-of-care production and diagnostic activities in the future.

Keywords: active paper open chip; active transport; electrowetting; microfluidic system; paper chip.