PDMS and Microfluidics for Mixing.
PDMS and Microfluidics for Mixing. from Finley Marbury
PDMS and Microfluidics for Mixing.

A big part about Cal Poly's MATE dept. is microfabrication. Microfabrication is the fabrication of anything whose critical dimensions are very small (micro/nanometers, 10^-9 meters). This is a research project i did for a class on microfluidics.
I designed and fabricated and analyzed flow these PDMS devices. We made molds using the standard photo resist and silicon wafer method, then molded PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) over the silicon wafer. We then plasma bonded two PDMS blocks together with ionized Argon gas. Finally punching the holes and using pumps to study the laminar flow of liquids in extremely small channels. The objective of this project was to report on findings and research methods of creating turbulent flows for mixing small amounts of liquids by altering the cross secional shape of the channels.

A long zig zag channel to mix yellow and blue dyes to make green. They will only mix if their flow is turbulent. If the flow is laminar they flow side by side without mixing.
Standard T-mixer hooked up to pumps.
The purple lightning coming out of that orange tip is plasma. Plasma is just ionized gas, in this case Argon, its the same stuff you would find in a purple neon sign. Definitely not as cool as it sounds. The plasma alters the surface chemistry of the PDMS by removing hydroxyl groups, this allows both sides to stick together.
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PDMS and Microfluidics for Mixing.

A big part about Cal Poly's MATE dept. is microfabrication. Microfabrication is the fabrication of anything whose critical dimensions are very small (micro/nanometers, 10^-9 meters). This is a research project i did for a class on microfluidics.
I designed and fabricated and analyzed flow these PDMS devices. We made molds using the standard photo resist and silicon wafer method, then molded PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) over the silicon wafer. We then plasma bonded two PDMS blocks together with ionized Argon gas. Finally punching the holes and using pumps to study the laminar flow of liquids in extremely small channels. The objective of this project was to report on findings and research methods of creating turbulent flows for mixing small amounts of liquids by altering the cross secional shape of the channels.

Finley Marbury
Engineering Student San Luis Obispo, CA