Proceedings of IWNA 2017, 08-11 November 2017, Phan Thiet, Vietnam

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INVITED TALKS

OPENING PLENARY SESSION (OPS)

OPS-001-I Nanomaterials based Start-ups within MINATEC® Innovation Campus 1
Jean-Charles Guibert
OPS-002-I CD fluidics for extreme Point of Care - EPOC 3
Marc Madou
OPS-003-I Lithium-Ion batteries as green energy storage: past, now and future 5
Majid Monajjemi

FUNDAMENTALS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY (FON)

FON-002-I Innovation & entrepreneurship education for sustainability 11
Lerwen Liu
FON-003-I Computationally looking into complex Metal-Organic Frameworks and 13
other nanosystems
Hajime Hirao
FON-004-I Rectifying Current-Voltage characteristics of single molecular junctions 17
Hirokazu Tada
FON-005-I Defects in functional oxides 19
Jaichan Lee, Kitae Eom, Bongwook Jung, Dae-Su Lee, Chang-Beom Eom, and
Si-Young Choi
FON-006-I Evolving functionality in disordered nanoscale networks 21
Wilfred G. Van der Wiel
FON-007-I The nanosciences fondation in Grenoble, 10 years of pratice to promote the 23
international collaboration in science, training and research
Alain Fontaine
FON-011-I Functional integral method in quantum field theory of dirac fermions and 25
plasmons in graphene
Nguyen Duc Duoc Phan, Van Hau Tran, Van Hieu Nguyen and Toan Thang
Nguyen

NANOFABRICATION TECHNIQUES (NFT)

NFT-001-I Self-assembly synthesis and physicochemical properties of highly regulated 31
layered oxides by two-dimensionally confined growth in single-nanometer
thickness
Michitaka Ohtaki

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Proceedings of IWNA 2017, 08-11 November 2017, Phan Thiet, Vietnam

AMN-042-P Enhancing thermal conductivity of silicone greases with CNTS and 611
graphene nanoplatelets
Thi Phuong Mai, Hung Thang Bui, Pham Van Trinh, Nguyen Huu Hong, Ngoc
Minh Phan
AMN-043-P Improvement of using electroless silver deposition for Metal-Assisted 615
Chemical Etching process of n-type (100) mono-crystalline silicon in order
to reduce intensity of reflected light
Hue Cam Thi Phan, Ngan Nguyen Le, Dung My Thi Dang, Chien Mau Dang
AMN-044-P New approach for paper-based microchannel fabrication by inkjet printing 619
technology
Ngan Nguyen Le, Hue Cam Thi Phan, Dung My Thi Dang and Chien Mau
Dang
AMN-045-P Nanofluid-based ethylene glycol containing CNT-Graphene hybrid 623
material
Pham Van Trinh, Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Tuan Hong, Phan Ngoc Hong,
Bui Hung Thang, Phan Ngoc Minh
AMN-046-P A valveless micropump based on additive fabrication technology 627
Luan Le Van, Cuong Nguyen Nhu, An Nguyen Ngoc, Tung Thanh Bui, Van
Thanh Dau, and Trinh Chu Duc
AMN-047-P Measurement of iron ions content in water by cylic voltametry technique 631
Tien Minh Huynh, Tung Son Vinh Nguyen, Thien Dien To, Nha Lam Phong
Vo, Tin Chanh Duc Doan, Chien Mau Dang
AMN-050-P Determination of oxidation-reduction potential and pH of water by using 635
specific platinum electrodes
Tien Minh Huynh, Tung Son Vinh Nguyen, Thien Dien To, Hoa Mai Thi Le,
Tin Chanh Duc Doan, Chien Mau Dang
AMN-051-P Study on the safe concentration of silver nanoparticle solution for whiteleg 639
shrimp
Thanh Chi Nguyen, Mai Thi Le, Phuong Hong Lam, An Thu Thi Truong, Dung
My Thi Dang, Tin Chanh Duc Doan, Chien Mau Dang
AMN-054-P Assessing plant edicitor activity of Oligoglucosamine –G-Salicylic Acid 643
absorps into Mg/Al layered double hydroxides in tomato plant be infected
Fusarium oxysporum
Anh Van Thi Le, Cuong Phu Nguyen, Quynh Nhu Thi Nguyen

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Proceedings of IWNA 2017, 08-11 November 2017, Phan Thiet, Vietnam

AMN-046-P
A VALVELESS MICROPUMP BASED ON ADDITIVE FABRICATION
TECHNOLOGY
Luan Le Van1,2, Cuong Nguyen Nhu2, An Nguyen Ngoc2, Tung Thanh Bui2, Van Thanh Dau3,
and Trinh Chu Duc2
1
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
2
University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
3
Research Group (Environmental Health), Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd, Hyogo, Japan
Email: trinhcd@vnu.edu.vn

ABSTRACT

A valveless microfluidic pump fabricated by additive fabrication technology is presented. Nozzle/diffuser

structures are used to direct the flow of liquid currents inside the PZT-based micropump. A unique design
using the collision of two inlet currents helps reduce the back-flow during the suction phase and promotes
mixing ability. The performance of the pump is investigated at different driving frequencies and voltages
both computationally and experimentally. Experimental results confirm that the maximum pump pressure
reaches approximately 4kPa at 90Hz driving frequency. At resonance frequency, the applied voltage is
proportional to the maximum pump pressure. The proposed micropump is suitable for low-cost
disposable applications and is capable of delivering a controlled amount of liquid.
Keywords: 3D printing, micropump, valveless, finite element method (FEM)

INTRODUCTION effects, and making them highly suitable to

Driven by the need for development in
several fields such as biomedical science,
microelectronics cooling, micro fluid delivery,
etc., research on microvalve and micropump has
started in the 1980s and become a vast subject in
microelectronics [1], [2]. Micropumps are used
to generate a volumetric fluid movement in a
microfluidic device. A conventional diaphragm
pump consists of two passive check valves
connected to an oscillating diaphragm, which
creates an oscillating chamber volume [3]. The
valves allow the user to control fluid flow in a
microchannel by varying a given macroscopic
parameter. They can be actuated mechanically,
pneumatically, electrokinetically, by phase
changes, or by introduction of external force.
Pumps with movable valves, may suffer from
problems such as a high pressure drop across the
valves and wear and fatigue of the movable
parts, resulting in reducing their lifetime and
reliability [4], [5].
Pumps without valves (i.e. valveless
micropumps) have attracted great interest
because their simple structures, having no
internal moving parts [6], [7]. That results in a
lack of wear due to friction, eliminating sticking
integrate into compact lab on a chip applications
[4], [8], [9]. To secure reliability, valveless
pump structures are highly desirable.
Electrohydro-dynamic pump, a simple structure
with no movable parts, in which the fluid motion
is achieved by using strong electrostatic forces,
is a kind of valveless pump [10], [11].
Nozzle/diffuser structures are also used to direct
the flow of liquid currents in valveless pump
structutes [6], [12]. In such kind of structures,
studies can be divided in terms of working
mechanism, design, actuation mechanism and
dimensions. Membranes or diaphragms are the
popular selection for actuation in many of the
proposed micropumps. Among them,
piezoelectric diaphragms emerge as a notable
actuator that can work at both high and low
frequencies and different driving voltages,
which means a high degree of freedom in
controlling the pumping performance.
Rectifying the flow is another important aspect
of a micropump.
In this study, a valveless microfluidic pump
fabricated by additive fabrication technology is
presented. Nozzle/diffuser structures are used to
direct the flow of liquid currents inside the PZT-
based micropump. The sketch of the proposed
device is shown in Fig. 1. A unique design using

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Proceedings of IWNA 2017, 08-11 November 2017, Phan Thiet, Vietnam
Figure 1. Configuration of the micropump.
Inset is the zoom-in view at the nozzle/diffuser.
the collision of two inlet currents helps reduce
the back-flow during the suction phase and
promotes mixing ability. First, the design and
working principle of the micropump is briefly
introduced. Then the dynamic simulation of the
pump using is carried out and the pump
performance is examined in detail. Prototypes of
the proposed micropump are fabricated by using
additive fabrication technology and their
performance is characterized.
DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF THE
VALVELESS MICROPUMP
The device consists of a pump chamber, two
inlet channels and one outlet channel as shown
in Fig. 1. Nozzle/diffuser structures are applied
at the ends of the inlet and outlet channels to
maximize the performance of the pump effect.
Inset in Fig. 1 is a zoom-in view at the
nozzle/diffuser. The outlet channel is aligned
with the central nozzle/diffuser structure but laid
perpendicularly to the two inlet currents. The
cross section of the outlet is larger than that of
the central nozzle.
The pumping performance is determined by
the flow behavior at the nozzle, which is formed
at the junction of two opposing inlets
orthogonally crossing the pumping outlet line.
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Figure 2. Suction and pumping effects
observed at the interrupted nozzle/diffuser
structure.
During the suction phase, the nozzle effect
amplifies the suction drawing two inlet currents
into the pump chamber first due to the close
location. Since the inlets are perpendicular to the
outlet channel in this area, the coming inlet
currents help blocking the backflow from the
outlet. At the same time, the nozzle/diffuser at
the outlet channel also limits the amount of the
liquid in the outlet returning to the pump
chamber. During the pump mode, the mixture
concentrated around the nozzle part of the
chamber is pushed through the nozzle. the
outgoing mixture will form a high-speed flow
that couples with the outlet diffuser whose cross
section is larger than that of the chamber’s
nozzle. Due to the diffuser effect, velocity of the
outflow will decrease in the outlet channel.
Performance of the pump was simulated
using COMSOL. The operation of the PZT
membrane was first investigated to determine its
response to several applied voltages. Since the
edges of the circular PZT membrane are firmly
sealed as the top layer of the pump chamber, the
displacements of the PZT membrane is primarily
in normal direction. Displacement in the X- and
Y-directions are eliminated.
Proceedings of IWNA 2017, 08-11 November 2017, Phan Thiet, Vietnam

Table 1. Parameters of the valveless pump

Parameter Value (mm)
PZT diameter D 20
d1 1.6
d2 0.6
d3
l1 2
l2 2
g 1
Nozzle thickness 1.5
Overall thickness 3.5
The pump was simulated with the applied
voltage of 200V. It is obtained from the
simulation that the maximum deformation is
approximately 22μm. The pump chamber is
actuated by a time-dependent sinusoidal
displacement from the PZT membrane. Suction
and pumping effects observed at the interrupted
nozzle/diffuser structure are shown in Fig. 2. As
can be seen, the length and thickness of the
arrows qualitatively represent the flow rates and
their directions in the designated channel,
confirming the operation of the nozzle/diffuser
structure.

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND

DISCUSSION
A prototype of the valveless microfluidic
pump has been fabricated by using a 3D printing
system (Stratasys Conex3 Objet500). The
system utilizes polyjet technology in which jets
layers of liquid photopolymer as thin as 16
microns to build models and prototypes with
extremely complex geometries, fine details, and
smooth surfaces [13]. Fabricated pump structure
is given in Fig. 3(a). Parameters of the pump are
listed in Tab. 1.
The performance of the pump prototypes
was investigated experimentally in terms of the
maximum pressure and the flow rate of the
pump when the frequency of the applied
oscillation changes (or the driving frequency).
The experimental setup is shown in Fig. 3(b). At
the resonant frequency, the variation of the
pump pressure according to the increment of the
applied voltage. The height of the water column
h was measured and then converted to pressure
P by using a conversion formula:
Figure 3. Experiment results. (a) Fabricated
micropump. (b) Experimental setup for
pumping performance evaluation.
where, ρ is the density of H2O, ρ = 998.2 kg/m3
at 20 ⁰ C; g is the acceleration of gravity, g =
9.8 m/s2.
The measured results are shown in Fig. 4(a).
A resonance can be observed at around 100 Hz
peaking at approximately 4 kPa. As the
frequency further increases, the pump pressure
reduces and the pump effect becomes almost
unobservable at more than 400 Hz. At that
resonance frequency, the applied voltage is
proportional to the maximum pump pressure
(Fig. 4(b)). As the proposed device can work at
low driving voltage below 50 V, it can be use in
bio medical applications.
The proposed micropump is suitable for low-
cost disposable applications and is capable of
delivering a controlled amount of liquid.
CONCLUSION

P   gh (1) A valveless microfluidic pump fabricated by

additive fabrication technology has been
developed. Nozzle/diffuser structures are used to

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Proceedings of IWNA 2017, 08-11 November 2017, Phan Thiet, Vietnam
(a)
(b)
Figure 4. Pumping performance:
Dependence of the maximum pump pressure
on driving frequency (a) and voltage (b).
direct the flow of liquid currents inside the PZT-
based micropump. The performance of the pump
is investigated both computationally and
experimentally. A prototype of the proposed
pumping device is fabricated using a 3D printer.
The Experimental results confirm that the
maximum pump pressure reaches approximately
4kPa at 90Hz driving frequency. At that
frequency, the applied voltage is proportional to
the pumping pressure.
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to acknowledge the
Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology
(MOST) for financial support through a project
entitled "Development on the aptamer-based and
electrical impedance sensing microfluidic
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system for circulating tumor cells detection",
project code NDT.15.TW/16.
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