Non-contact addition, metering, and distribution of liquids into centrifugal microfluidic devices in motion

A three-dimensional structure was constructed to demonstrate contact-free liquid addition and distribution to a conventional centrifugal microfluidic platform. The structure allowed a continuous stream of liquid to be added to the rotating platform where it was dispensed and metered to a series of reservoirs with 9% relative standard deviation of the volume. An off-platform generated gradient was used to demonstrate this design's potential to make gradient centrifugal microfluidic chromatography possible without the use of platform space for liquid storage. The system demonstrates a convenient and versatile 'World-to-Chip' or more appropriately, World-to-Disk, macro-to-micro interface. 10.1021/ac1024478