Duration
22h Th, 8h Pr, 16h Labo., 14h Proj.
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the second semester
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course is an introduction to small-scale flows and the burgeoning field of microfluidics. Course content: Applications and microfluidic markets, microfabrication, fluidic design and chip control, surface tension and capillary phenomena, centrifugal microfluidics, droplet microfluidics, diffusion/convection coupling, low Reynolds number locomotion, electro-hydrodynamics.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of this course, the student will have a good overview of microfluidics. He/She will get a good intuition of microscale flows. He/She will be able to apply theoretical bases, for the design of microfluidic components among others. Thanks to the problems and lab sessions (group work), he/she will benefit from the background and potential of other students. He/she will develop critical thinking, creativity and writing skills (in English).
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Pre-requisites: Elementary fluid mechanics, including Navier-Stokes equations (e.g. MECA0011), physics (e.g. PHYS2020, PHYS2021, PHYS2022), mechanics (e.g. MECA0001), chemistry (e.g. CHIM0603) and linear systems (e.g. SYST0002).
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The theory, applications and problems are covered in nine sessions. The problems deal with small scale fluid mechanics and microfluidic design and they are solved in small groups.
Several lab sessions (min. 2 per student) will be organized. The students will design their own lab-on-a-chip from scratch with a CAD software. Then, they will build the device using soft-lithography (clean room). They will interface and test the device. Finally, they will process and analyze the data (image processing). A lab report (one per group, in English) will be submitted at the end of the sessions.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face
Organisational adjustments related to the current health context
Orange code: The lectures will be preferably given online (videoconference). The lab sessions will be maintained with sanitary adjustments (less students at a time, partitioning of the work, mask and disinfectant).
Red code: The lectures will be given online (videoconference). The lab sessions will be postponed, and possibly cancelled if the red code is applied until the end of the semester. In the latter case, the written exam will represent 100% of the final mark.
Recommended or required readings
The course is not yet based on a unique textbook. It is more a synthesis of many textbooks and recent publications. At the end of each class, several reading suggestions will be given.
Assessment methods and criteria
Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.
Any session :
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )
- Remote
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )
- If evaluation in "hybrid"
preferred in-person
Additional information:
- One lab report (group). Weight 30%. The mark is kept from the first to the second exam session.
- Written exam (weight 70%, notes allowed), including theory and problems
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
The course is given in the Spring term, on Tuesday from 8:30am to 12:30pm. Presence to the lab sessions is mandatory - any absence to these sessions will have to be officially justified.
An electronic version of the course notes and slides will be available on a server.
Contacts
Tristan Gilet Assistant professor Microfluidics Lab Office: B52 - 0/420 Email: Tristan.Gilet@uliege.be