Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Iran University of Science and Technology
2
Faculty Member, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Skills (NUS), Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Skills (NUS), Tehran, Iran
4
Mechanical Engineering Department, Iran University of Science & Technology, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/ijme.2025.537359.2113
Abstract
This study investigates the application of chiral liquid crystals (CLC) in microfluidic systems for the precise detection of sodium chloride concentrations. Initially, an optical system based on 5CB liquid crystal was designed, comprising a light source, polarizer, optical microscope, and equipment for recording color changes. Sodium chloride solutions of varying concentrations were manually injected via micropipette into the liquid crystal, and color changes were recorded. Although effective in detecting color changes, this method was limited by manual injection and the need for additional optical components, reducing its portability and practical applicability. To address these challenges, a CLC, formed by combining 5CB with BDH1305 dopant, replaced 5CB to enhance sensitivity to concentration changes and eliminate the need for external polarizers. Microfluidic chips were fabricated using a custom desktop CNC milling machine, which engraved microchannels with micron-scale precision (200 µm width, 300 µm depth) on PMMA sheets. This advanced CNC system ensured uniform analyte flow to the CLC reservoir. Images were processed using ImageJ software, with RGB values extracted to analyze color changes. Results demonstrated that the microfluidic-CLC system, enabled by the CNC’s precision manufacturing, achieved uniform and accurate color changes, effectively simulating sodium chloride concentrations. This innovative system, combining CNC technology and CLC sensing, offers an efficient tool for concentration measurements in medical, food industry, and environmental applications, with significant potential for future development.
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