Fluid Mixing for Low‐Power ‘Digital Microfluidics’ Using Electroactive Molecular Monolayers

A switchable electrode, which relies on an indium‐tin oxide conductive substrate coated with a self‐assembled monolayer terminated with an anthraquinone group (AQ), is reported as an electrowetting system. AQ electrochemical features confer the capability of yielding a significant modulation of surface wettability as high as 26° when its redox state is switched. Hence, an array of planar electrodes for droplets actuation is fabricated and integrated in a microfluidic device to perform mixing and dispensing on sub‐nanoliter scale. Vehiculation of cells across microfluidic compartments is made possible by taking full advantage of surface electrowetting in culture medium. An array of planar indium‐tin oxide electrodes for droplets actuation based on a self‐assembled monolayer terminated with a switchable electroactive anthraquinone group is fabricated. The electrodes are integrated in a microfluidic device to perform mixing and dispensing at sub‐nanoliter scale. Vehiculation of cells across microfluidic compartments is further demonstrated.