Design of a Bistable Compliant Microfluidic Valve for Biological Assays

Institute

Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffkunde und Werkstoffmechanik

Type

Bachelor's Thesis / Semester Thesis / Master's Thesis /

Content

 

Description

Background

Microfluidic valves are the backbone of fluid handling in lab-on-chip systems, enabling programmability, automation, and large-scale integration—similar to how transistors revolutionized electronics. However, conventional microfluidic valves often rely on complex moving parts and bulky pneumatic control systems, which require expensive auxiliary equipment and limit miniaturization.

Compliant mechanisms offer an elegant alternative: single-piece flexible structures that transmit motion and force through elastic deformation rather than rigid-body joints. They eliminate friction and wear, simplify assembly, and can be integrated with unconventional actuation schemes such as thermal, electrostatic, piezoelectric, or shape-memory alloys. This opens new possibilities for compact, energy-efficient valves in microfluidics—critical for applications like cancer research and advanced biological assays.

Your Task

• Design and simulate a bistable compliant actuator that minimizes footprint while amplifying displacement.
• Ensure the mechanism can maintain two stable positions without power input and resist small external disturbances.
• Fabricate your design using high-resolution additive manufacturing (multiphoton lithography, single-digit micrometer resolution).          
• Select and integrate an actuation method (e.g., thermal via shape-memory alloy or piezoelectric actuation).
• Validate your prototype during an exchange at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) by testing it in a microfluidic setup intended for biological assays with living cells.

Why This Project?

You will work at the intersection of mechanical design, microfabrication, and biomedical engineering, creating a novel valve concept that could transform microfluidic platforms for biomedical research. The project combines hands-on prototyping with international collaboration, giving you the chance to see your design tested in real biological environments.

Requirements

Your Profile

• Enrolled in an engineering program.
• Strong background in technical mechanics and materials science.
• Experience with CAD (e.g., SolidWorks) and FEM simulation (e.g., Abaqus, Ansys).
• Interest in mechanical energy storage and motion design.
• Interest in MEMS, microfluidics, and biological assay applications.
• Interest in high-resolution 3D printing and multiphoton lithography.
• Very good written and spoken English; willingness to travel to Norway.
• Nice to have: Python skills and enthusiasm for mathematical modeling.

Akademischer Partner: Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Biophysics

Possible start

sofort

Contact

Jan Torgersen
Room: MW2231
Phone: +498928915246
jan.torgersentum.de

Announcement