A “Plug-n-Play” permeable brick-based microfluidic pump

Abstract

Inexpensive, autonomous, easy to fabricate and portable self-powered microfluidic pumps are urgently required especially in rapid point-of-care testing (POCT). Here, we propose a “Plug-n-Play” permeable brick-based (PB) micropump for autonomous and continuous liquid flow without any external power sources. The key advantage of this pump is that its operation only requires the user to place the PB pump on the outlet of microfluidic devices. The PB pumps are fabricated by simply slicing permeable bricks into predetermined shapes. The microcosmic morphology investigations unveil that their unique porous structures and uneven surface provide outstanding capillary force. For instance, a typical cuboid PB pump (2 × 2 × 2 cm³) can produce an average flow rate of more than 100 µL min^− 1, a working time of 10 min and a maximum liquid absorption volume of ~ 1200 µL. Also, the flow rate and absorption volume can be programmed by using the PB pumps with different shapes. Moreover, we apply hydrophobic reagents (Glaco) treatment on the PB pumps to achieve the control over the liquid flow rates. Finally, through applying the PB pumps, we can perform blood type detection in POC cases. Based on its advantages of low cost, long service life, and adjustable flow rates, brick pump can be easily integrated into microfluidic systems and has great potential for microfluidic applications, especially in developing regions or in resource-limited settings.