A functional on-chip pressure generator using solid chemical propellant for disposable lab-on-a-chip

This paper presents a functional on-chip pressure generator using a solid chemical propellant for the applications of plastic-based disposable biochips or lab-on-a-chips. In this functional on-chip pressure generator, azobis-isobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the solid chemical propellant is deposited on a microheater, which can heat the AIBN to produce nitrogen gas. The output pressure of nitrogen gas, which is generated from the solid chemical propellant, is adjustable to a desired pressure by controlling the input power of the heater. Due to its compact size, easy fabrication, fully integration, high reliability, biologically inert gas output, and functionality of gas generation, this pressure generator will be an excellent pressure source for handling the fluids of the disposable lab-on-a-chips and biochemical analysis systems.