Centrifugo-magnetic pump for gas-to-liquid sampling

This paper describes a novel gas micropump realized on a centrifugal microfluidic platform. The pump is integrated on a passive and microstructured polymer disk which is sealed by an elastomer lid featuring paramagnetic inlays. The rotational motion of this hybrid over a stationary magnet induces a designated sequence of volume displacements of the elastic lid, leading to a net transport of gas. The pumping pressure was determined as a function of the frequency of rotation, with a maximum observable pressure of 4.1 kPa without further optimization. The first application of this rotary device is the production of gas-liquid flows by pumping ambient air into a continuous centrifugal flow of liquid. The injected gas volume segments the liquid stream into a series of liquid compartments. Apart from such multi-phase flows, the new pumping technique supplements a generic air-to-liquid sampling method to centrifugal microfluidic platforms. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.