Pressure Driven Micro-flow Through a Double-T Metering Junction

Discrete fluid volumes (plugs) are often needed for micro bioassay. Current methods of isolating discrete volumes use electrokinetic forces that require high voltages and result in ionic component separation of the sample. Pressure-driven flow through a double-T metering junction is a suggested alternative to this electrokinetic method. There has been no extensive analysis of pressure-driven plug flow. This paper outlines a method to characterize the effects of diffusive mixing of plug flow through a double-T metering junction and determine the viability of pressure driven flow as an alternative to electrokinetically driven flow for bioassay.