Disposable PDMS diaphragm micropump actuated by PZT

Through studying the Micropump and microvalve used in microfluidic control chemical analysis from the design of structure, working principle and fabrication process, a novel PZT-driven micropump was developed. The construction and the fabrication process are quite simple. It consists of flexible PDMS pump diaphragm, base plate and Piezo-bimorph actuator. Diaphragm, meanwhile, is an active valve whose functions are manipulating/directing/switching the How direction (forward or backward) and bearing the load when in the closed state, and a buffer element too. Base plate has both nozzle/diffuser or straight hole and chamber made of silicon. The thickness of the micropump membrane is about 180 mu m. The length, width and depth of micropump chamber cavity are 6mm, 6mm and 20 mu m, respectively. The performances of the micropump, such as pump rate and backpressure, are characterized. As a flow-rectifying element, the diffusers and active valves are used instead of passive check valves. The flow rate and the backpressure of the micropump the type A and type B are about 1050 mu L/min, 840 mu L/min and 5kPa when applying a 100 V square wave driving voltage at frequency of 35 Hz.