We report on the fabrication of an ultra-high aspect ratio ionically conductive single microchannel with tunable diameter from ≈ 20 μm to fully closed. The 4 mm-long channel is fabricated in a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold and its cross-sectional area is controlled by applying macroscopic compressive strain to the mold in a direction perpendicular to the channel length. We investigated the ionic conduction properties of the channel. For a wide range of compressive strain up to ≈ 0.27, the strain dependence of the resistance is monotonic and fully reversible. For strain > 0.27, ionic conduction suddenly shuts off and the system becomes hysteretic (whereby a finite strain reduction is required to reopen the channel). Upon unloading, the original behavior is retrieved. This reversible behavior is observed over 200 compression cycles. The cross-sectional area of the channel can be inferred from the ion current measurement, as confirmed by a Nano-Computed Tomography investigation. We show that the cross-sectional area decreases monotonically with the applied compressive strain in the reversible range, in qualitative agreement with linear elasticity theory. We find that the shut-off strain is affected by the spatial extent of the applied strain, which provides additional tunability. Our tunable channel is well-suited for multiple applications in micro/nano-fluidic devices.
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7 May 2015
Research Article|
May 06 2015
Macroscopic strain controlled ion current in an elastomeric microchannel
Chin-Chang Kuo;
Chin-Chang Kuo
1Department of Physics & Astronomy,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Yongxue Li;
Yongxue Li
2Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Du Nguyen;
Du Nguyen
1Department of Physics & Astronomy,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Steven Buchsbaum;
Steven Buchsbaum
1Department of Physics & Astronomy,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Laura Innes;
Laura Innes
1Department of Physics & Astronomy,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Aaron P. Esser-Kahn;
Aaron P. Esser-Kahn
3Department of Chemistry,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Lorenzo Valdevit;
Lorenzo Valdevit
4Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697-3975, USA
5Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Lizhi Sun;
Lizhi Sun
2Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
5Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Zuzanna Siwy;
Zuzanna Siwy
1Department of Physics & Astronomy,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
3Department of Chemistry,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Michael Dennin
Michael Dennin
a)
1Department of Physics & Astronomy,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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Chin-Chang Kuo
1
Yongxue Li
2
Du Nguyen
1
Steven Buchsbaum
1
Laura Innes
1
Aaron P. Esser-Kahn
3
Lorenzo Valdevit
4,5
Lizhi Sun
2,5
Zuzanna Siwy
1,3
Michael Dennin
1,a)
1Department of Physics & Astronomy,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
2Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
3Department of Chemistry,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
4Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697-3975, USA
5Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science,
University of California
, Irvine, California 92697, USA
a)
Electronic mail: [email protected].
J. Appl. Phys. 117, 174904 (2015)
Article history
Received:
August 27 2014
Accepted:
April 17 2015
Citation
Chin-Chang Kuo, Yongxue Li, Du Nguyen, Steven Buchsbaum, Laura Innes, Aaron P. Esser-Kahn, Lorenzo Valdevit, Lizhi Sun, Zuzanna Siwy, Michael Dennin; Macroscopic strain controlled ion current in an elastomeric microchannel. J. Appl. Phys. 7 May 2015; 117 (17): 174904. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919353
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