Enhanced capillary pumping using open-channel capillary trees with integrated paper pads.

The search for efficient capillary pumping has led to two main directions for investigation: first, assembly of capillary channels to provide high capillary pressures, and second, imbibition in absorbing fibers or paper pads. In the case of open microfluidics (i.e., channels where the top boundary of the fluid is in contact with air instead of a solid wall), the coupling between capillary channels and paper pads unites the two approaches and provides enhanced capillary pumping. In this work, we investigate the coupling of capillary trees-networks of channels mimicking the branches of a tree-with paper pads placed at the extremities of the channels, mimicking the small capillary networks of leaves. It is shown that high velocities and flow rates (7 mm/s or 13.1 

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© 2023 Author(s).

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors acknowledge the following potential conflicts of interest in companies pursuing open microfluidic/analytic technologies: E.B.: Tasso, Inc., Salus Discovery, LLC, and Stacks to the Future, LLC; A.B.T.: Stacks to the Future, LLC. The work in this manuscript is not related to these companies.