Expanding Access to Microfluidic Fittings
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WINTER • 2006/2007 A QUARTERLY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, NO.4 Expanding access to microfluidic fittings Riddle of the desert glass Understanding ‘metallic water’ SANDIA TECHNOLOGY What is Sandia Technology (ISSN: 1547-5190) is a quarterly magazine published by Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia’s world-class science, technology, and Sandia is a multiprogram engineering and science engineering work defines the Labs’ value to the laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed nation. These capabilities must remain on the Martin company, for the Department of Energy. With cutting edge, because the security of the U.S. main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and depends directly upon them. Sandia’s Laboratory Livermore, California, Sandia has broad-based research Directed Research and Development (LDRD) and development responsibilities for nuclear weapons, Program provides the flexibility to invest in long- arms control, energy, the environment, economic term, high-risk, and potentially high-payoff competitiveness, and other areas of importance to the research and development that stretches the needs of the nation. The Laboratories’ principal mis- Labs’ science and technology capabilities. sion is to support national defense policies by ensuring LDRD supports Sandia’s four primary that the nuclear weapon stockpile meets the highest strategic business objectives: nuclear weapons; standards of safety, reliability, security, use control, and energy resources and nonproliferation; military performance. For more information on Sandia, defense systems and assessments; and see our website at www.sandia.gov homeland security and defense. LDRD also promotes creative and innovative research To request additional copies or to subscribe, contact: and development by funding projects that are Michelle Fleming discretionary, short term, and often high risk, Media Relations and Communications Department attracting exceptional research talent from across MS 0165 many disciplines. Sandia National Laboratories When the logo appears in this issue, it P.O. Box 5800 indicates that at some state in the history of the Albuquerque, NM 87185-0165 technology or program, funding played a Voice: (505) 844-4902 critical role. Fax: (505) 844-1392 E-mail: [email protected] Sandia Technology Staff: Laboratory Directed Research & Development Program Manager: Henry Westrich Media Relations and Communications Department Manager: Chris Miller Editors: Will Keener, Sherri Mostaghni On the Cover: Sandia National Laboratories Writing: Nancy Garcia, Chris Burroughs, Neal Singer, Ron Renzi of Sandia’s Advanced Concepts and Micro- Mike Janes, Michael Padilla, Mark Boslough, systems Engineering department examines a microfluidic multiport selector valve. Story begins on page 2. Stephanie Holinka (Photo by Jeff Shaw) Sandia National Laboratories Photography: Randy J. Montoya, Bill Doty, Mark Boslough, Jeff Shaw Design: Michael Vittitow Sandia National Laboratories Winter Issue 2006/2007 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY FROM THE TABLE OF Editor Contents Dear Readers, Whether it’s sniffing baseball fans at an Oakland A’s game for chemicals of interest, Expanding researcher access protecting oil and gas infrastructure, under- 2 to microfluidic fittings standing the physics of water in extremely high temperature and pressure regimes, or searching for the explanation of the origins of Homeland Security chief the mysterious Libyan Desert Glass, Sandia 5 dedicates new center researchers are at it again. This issue highlights the scope of our work. We’re extending technology to one of Solving the riddle America’s leading agribusiness corporations 6 of the desert glass to help develop seeds that will grow crops that can be more readily converted to energy. We’re working with NASA on a new idea for Applying high-performance the satellites of tomorrow. We’re illuminating 9 computing to a scientific the workings of solid-state lighting at a new mystery national center. And we’ve dedicated an important new facility to help the Department of Homeland Security better prepare for Understanding ‘metallic water’ terrorist attacks or natural disasters. 10 Finally, a request that you give us the benefit of your opinion, please! Attached to Solar tower testing this issue (or at the online address listed on 12 supports NASA plan the form) is a brief survey. We’d love to get your name and address information up to date, added, or deleted, as appropriate. More Sandia – Monsanto Company importantly, we’d love to hear your ideas about 14 announce cooperative our publication’s relevance to your own work. agreement We promise to read and consider it all! Will Keener Detect-to-warn system Editor 16 offers lifesaving capability Keeping oil and gas 19 control systems safe DOE selects Sandia Labs as 20 Solid-State Lighting Center 1 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY Necessity was the mother of invention for a recently licensed suite of microfluidic fittings, manifolds, and interconnects that allows researchers and engineers to configure their own analytical devices and potentially form Expanding researcher access integrated systems for to microfluidic fittings myriad applications. Story by Nancy Garcia The suite . has become much used in the last three or four years. Inventor Ron Renzi in his lab with an integrated biotoxin analysis system with an automated sample preparation front end. (Photo by Jeff Shaw) 2 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY The valves have been “ I t’s the only time at Sandia I’ve seen Microthruster development tested for more than anything propagate like this,” says inven- 1.2 million cycles, tor Ron Renzi, a Sandia microsystems One example of an application is the engineering researcher. “It’s amazing how -funded microthruster develop- demonstrating a well-received these technologies have ment, where designs are being explored for been.” The tool set he’s referring to, a kind using propellants in nanosatellites. These robustness that of micro-plumbing set, was developed by a small satellites can be used for communi- enables creation of Sandia team, simply because nothing else cations, surveillance, or networking. The was available. fittings allow different configurations to reliable autonomous The suite was developed during the be tested, so that mixing an oxidizer to systems in the field. initial stages of a MicroChemLab Labora- increase thrust can be investigated. Liquid tory Directed Research and Development propellants are moved using electrokinetic – Yolanda Fintschenko Grand Challenge program, Renzi pumping, in which an electric field causes manager, Microfluidics Department says, when he could not find commercially flow of a liquid in a packed bed. The flow available components to easily form fluidic reaches the closed end of a capillary and seals in small spaces. MicroChemLab was drives a reverse, pressure-driven flow that designed to enhance traditional wet-bench can be tailored to the application by alter- chemical analysis of such threats as trace ing the size of particles in the packed bed. explosives and biotoxins by rapidly and Several patents have been issued or portably separating samples on chips under applied for with the assistance of Sandia’s an applied voltage. Scott Ferko, a coinventor of the patented With the help of Art Pontau, senior one-piece ferrule. Patents awarded so far manager of the Materials and Energy include those associated with compression Sciences group, and Jim Wilhelm, who manifolds, microvalves, and high-pressure handled the licensing agreement, the fittings. The fitting is capable of withstand- fittings were licensed late last year to ing pressures up to 40,000 psi and can be LabSmith, a Livermore, California-based used in smaller versions of the standard hardware company formed by former benchtop analytical tool, liquid chromatog- Sandia researchers Eric Cummings and raphy systems requiring 10,000 psi. Kirsten Pace. The microvalves include a multiport Working on the initial MicroChemLab selector valve that has been continuously project eight years ago with Mark Claud- improved over the last two years and is Closer look at Sandia’s biotoxin nic and Tom Raber, the team developed now frequently and reliably employed in analysis and sampling system. the first component, called CapTite— a microflow and nanoflow systems. one-piece ferruled fitting with thread con- “The valves have been tested for more nections for sealing to thin, flexible capil- than 1.2 million cycles, demonstrating a laries. This solved the problem of getting robustness that enables creation of reliable fluids to microchannels on chips in a way autonomous systems in the field,” says that prevents troublesome leaks or bubbles. Yolanda Fintschenko, manager of Sandia’s The next year, manifolds and interfaces Microfluidics department. The fittings that provide consistent fluid connections are also being used to enable selective with simple and accurate alignment were concentrators. developed. Sandia researchers have improved upon using this well-known force phenomenon 3 SANDIA TECHNOLOGY (termed dielectrophoresis) by placing and employ a common breadboard and insulating obstacles within microchannels, control architecture. and the associated electrodes outside in “Researchers can grab the components, reservoirs. The insulating posts, arrayed in draw a flow schematic, integrate and the middle of the microchannel, constrict assemble the parts in hours instead of the electric field and create an electrical days, weeks, or months,” Renzi says. “We field gradient that gives rise to the par- want to