What are the Best Off-the-Shelf Micro Liquid Delivery Systems?

[miva]

Hey guys, new user old reader here

wondering if you guys could recommend me some stuff.

I am after a complete off the shelf micro liquid delivery system which can provide liquid flow in the micro scale..


any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Miles

 

[berkeman]

Hey guys, new user old reader here

wondering if you guys could recommend me some stuff.

I am after a complete off the shelf micro liquid delivery system which can provide liquid flow in the micro scale..


any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Miles

Welcome, Miles. My company has had a very good long-term experience with Liquid Control Corporation:

http://www.graco.com/Internet/T_PDB.nsf/Landing/LiquidControl

We use them for epoxy mixing and vacuum encapsulation applications on the scale of a few grams per shot, but I know they go smaller. I don't know how far down they go in scale, but it's worth checking out their website and giving them a call.

 

[Danger]

I can't help wondering whether or not ink-jet printer technology could be adapted to this purpose.

 

[MATLABdude]

There's a company that several of my friends work for that makes something like that:
http://www.micralyne.com/capabilities/products/toolkit.htm

Or are you just looking for something like a pipetter? I use one that's good down to 1 uL, but I think you might be able to find better:
http://www.fishersci.com/wps/portal/PRODUCTDETAIL?productId=768966

EDIT: If the former, the entire field is called microfluidics; the most commercialized of which is, as Danger inferred, inkjet printing. Also, this article might be of interest to you (depending on your application):
http://www.aip.org/tip/INPHFA/vol-9/iss-4/p14.html

 

[miva]

thank you very much for the replies guys!

this system will be implemented towards drug delivery and lab on a chip type applications!

 

[Danger]

There was also a fellow featured in SciAm a few years back who had adapted a Braille printer to act as a microfluidic valve system. I can't remember the specifics, but it might be worth investigating.

 

[miva]

danger, yes you are correct inkjet printers work on a similar scale but it seems that not many people have used these systems for other applications..

 

[dlgoff]

thank you very much for the replies guys!

this system will be implemented towards drug delivery and lab on a chip type applications!

At first I was thinking maybe a pump from an HPLC but I found this instead.

Abstract

With rapid development in microflow analysis, electroosmotic pumps are receiving increasing attention. Compared to other micropumps, electroosmotic pumps have several unique features. For example, they are bi-directional, can generate constant and pulse-free flows with flow rates well suited to microanalytical systems, and can be readily integrated with lab-on-chip devices. The magnitude and the direction of flow of an electroosmotic pump can be changed instantly. In addition, electroosmotic pumps have no moving parts. In this article, we discuss common features, introduce fabrication technologies and highlight applications of electroosmotic pumps.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V5H-4TPPDVY-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=eb6fc70058030436f8d07e84cc80a473"
The article is for purchase however.

 

[miva]

thank you very much dlgoff! That paper is very interesting and will add to my literature review thank you.