Reference number : GC-2017-Q4-00305, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : CHAKER, Mohamed (Institut national de la recherche scientifique), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Quebec|Québec, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Microfluidic capillary systems automate, miniaturize and expedite the laboratory procedures without any need_x000D_
for active mechanical elements such as external pumps or valves. The technology has enabled Sensoreal, the_x000D_
supporting company, to develop self-contained, and self-powered microfluidic cartridges that perform rapid_x000D_
blood tests to measure multiple protein biomarkers using a few drops of blood. Currently, due to the laminar_x000D_
flow behaviour of the capillary microfluidic systems, the rehydrated reagents do not uniformly spread across_x000D_
the reservoirs of interest and as a result there is over 80% waste of the volume of the sample and the reagent_x000D_
used to perform the assay. Also the current issue makes the footprint of the microchips bulky (5 cm x 10 cm)._x000D_
The proposed research project plans to enhance the performance of the microfluidic capillary systems by_x000D_
introducing a capillary valve for the slow release of the dry reagents (SRDR). The valving system could then be_x000D_
integrated to the Sensoreal's capillary circuits for making cartridges consuming much less sample and reagents_x000D_
volume and could further miniaturize the footprint of the cartridges made._x000D_
In this context, our ultimate goal is to develop and optimize microfabrication processes including plasma_x000D_
synthesis, etching and functionalization processes to fabricate SRDR valves made in silicon. A particular_x000D_
attention will be paid to the optimization of the plasma etching processes (gaz ratio, temperature) to minimize_x000D_
the formation of any hydrophobic passivation layer on the surface of the Si channels, while keeping the_x000D_
microfluidic sidewall profiles as vertical as possible (anisotropic etching). Different techniques will be used to_x000D_
further oxidize the surface of the microchannel to enhance their hydrophilicity as required for the operation of_x000D_
the SRDR. These techniques will include plasma-based functionalization and/or plasma-based thin film_x000D_
deposition. If successful, the solution will give Sensoreal more opportunities to increase their technology_x000D_
portfolio and have future market share especially in price sensitive countries., program purpose french : Microfluidic capillary systems automate, miniaturize and expedite the laboratory procedures without any need_x000D_
for active mechanical elements such as external pumps or valves. The technology has enabled Sensoreal, the_x000D_
supporting company, to develop self-contained, and self-powered microfluidic cartridges that perform rapid_x000D_
blood tests to measure multiple protein biomarkers using a few drops of blood. Currently, due to the laminar_x000D_
flow behaviour of the capillary microfluidic systems, the rehydrated reagents do not uniformly spread across_x000D_
the reservoirs of interest and as a result there is over 80% waste of the volume of the sample and the reagent_x000D_
used to perform the assay. Also the current issue makes the footprint of the microchips bulky (5 cm x 10 cm)._x000D_
The proposed research project plans to enhance the performance of the microfluidic capillary systems by_x000D_
introducing a capillary valve for the slow release of the dry reagents (SRDR). The valving system could then be_x000D_
integrated to the Sensoreal's capillary circuits for making cartridges consuming much less sample and reagents_x000D_
volume and could further miniaturize the footprint of the cartridges made._x000D_
In this context, our ultimate goal is to develop and optimize microfabrication processes including plasma_x000D_
synthesis, etching and functionalization processes to fabricate SRDR valves made in silicon. A particular_x000D_
attention will be paid to the optimization of the plasma etching processes (gaz ratio, temperature) to minimize_x000D_
the formation of any hydrophobic passivation layer on the surface of the Si channels, while keeping the_x000D_
microfluidic sidewall profiles as vertical as possible (anisotropic etching). Different techniques will be used to_x000D_
further oxidize the surface of the microchannel to enhance their hydrophilicity as required for the operation of_x000D_
the SRDR. These techniques will include plasma-based functionalization and/or plasma-based thin film_x000D_
deposition. If successful, the solution will give Sensoreal more opportunities to increase their technology_x000D_
portfolio and have future market share especially in price sensitive countries., agreement title english : Development and optimization of microfabrication processes for capillary driven microfluidic valves, agreement title french : Development and optimization of microfabrication processes for capillary driven microfluidic valves, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2018-03-07, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada