Description
Objectives
Identify the basic chemical and physical principles of microfluids and recognize the materials and components used in building microfluidic systems for relevant technological applications. Provide students with methodologies for scaling microfluidics systems in hands-on classes using commercial software. Manufacture a microfluidic device using the microfabrication technologies studied.
Syllabus
1. Concepts of micro-scale flow: Micro and nanofluidics. Heat and mass transfer. 2. Physical and chemical properties in microchannels, membranes and porous media. Capillary flow. 3. Properties of materials for microfluidics. Standardization. 4. Review of microfabrication techniques for microfluidics 5. Particle manipulation: optics, magnetics, electrical techniques, etc. 6. Modules and components for microfluidics: separation, mixing, microreactors, etc 7. Microfluidics instrumentation: microvalves, micropumps, etc 8. Microfluidics-based characterization and metrology techniques. On-chip labs. 9. Engineering application design: food technology, biomedical, total analysis systems (µTAS), microelectromechanical systems for biology (BioMEMS), cytometry, microfluidics for soft electronics 10. Nanofluids and applications: drug delivery, nano-drops, microfluidics for soft electronics 11. Numerical methods for microfluidics models resolution (commercial software for fluid dynamics).
Prerequisites
The students should preferably have some knowledge of Fluid Mechanics and Micro and Nanofabrication Techniques. Reaching the learning objectives would be faster with prior knowledge on numerical calculation for problem solving using commercial softwares e.g. Mathematica or MatLab
Cross Competence Component
Development of critical thinking (while developing the laboratorial project and presentation and discussion of the work) and strategies for problem solving (for the homework problems resolution and during the laboratorial component) Development of interpersonal skills at the evaluation components (public presentation, oral discussion, problem resolution reports and team work) Using multimedia tools (oral presentation, homework problems, programming scripts) Development of deontological principles (eg give credits to the sources of information for the oral presentation) and adequate strategies for searching and managing information. 30% of the evaluation components.
Laboratorial Component
Conducting one laboratory session per week (in groups with 3-4 students), using INESC MN experimental facilities (http://www.inesc-mn.pt), to do one of the following: simulation of the flow, microfabricate the selected device, characterize one step of the fabrication, characterize the device, characterize the flow, etc. The laboratory component consists on 30% of the evaluation.
Programming And Computing Component
Some homework problems require programming scripts to solve analytical solutions. Some laboratorial steps require programming data acquisition and analysis scripts (10%)
Ethical Principles
All members of a group are responsible for the group’s work In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.