Issue 8, 2019

A fuel-free polymer-based micropump with optically tunable pumping directions

Abstract

Micropumps, especially those based on polymers, have shown great potential in sensing and mass transportation applications. However, polymer-based micropumps only exhibit a certain pumping direction, which is not adjustable, thus limiting their further applications. In this paper, a light-driven micropump with tunable pumping directions is reported. The direction control of this micropump relies on the photothermal effect of the polymeric component and the light-induced release of the encapsulated surfactant. Both on–off, inward and outward, or even the unique heartbeat-like pumping behaviors could be realized. The direction-controlled micropump has great potential for a variety of applications. Among others, it has the ability to rectify the fluid flow or accelerate the solution stirring.

Graphical abstract: A fuel-free polymer-based micropump with optically tunable pumping directions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Dec 2018
Accepted
21 Jan 2019
First published
21 Jan 2019

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 2299-2304

A fuel-free polymer-based micropump with optically tunable pumping directions

Y. Guo, D. Wang, J. Li, Y. Sun, M. Li, H. Zhang, R. Duan, D. Zhang, B. Song and B. Dong, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019, 7, 2299 DOI: 10.1039/C8TC06404K

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