Electrochemical detection of droplets in microfluidic systems

The combination of electrochemical sensing with miniature fluid handling systems (microfluidics) can lead to the creation of a miniature and portable all-in-one analytical platforms or “lab-on-a-chip”. Lab-on-a-chip technology is used in a variety of sectors, including healthcare (e.g., medical diagnostic tests) and the environment and natural resources (e.g., remote monitoring & sensing). However, electrode fabrication methods for high resolution and small feature sizes are expensive while low-cost methods cannot reach the microscale resolutions needed for microfluidics. Recently, we have developed a simple and straightforward method to combine electrodes formed by the laser-induced graphene (LIG) process with high resolution microfluidic channels. LIG electrodes are formed by irradiating a carbon-rich substrate with high energy laser, generating graphene. This is a low cost process that is amenable to rapid prototyping and can achieve electrode sizes compatible with microfluidic channels. Our new method requires additional characterization and test applications to mature the technology so it can be applied to a variety of applications. Here, the intern will work to characterize the effect of different parameters of the underlying substrate for the LIG electrodes and seek to integrate LIG-based electrodes with a droplet microfluidic device for proof-of-principle applications.

Faculty Supervisor:

Darius Rackus

Student:

Partner:

École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Education

University:

Toronto Metropolitan University

Program: