TIGHT SHUTOFF MICOVALVE

MICROVALVES PREVIOUSLY MADE CANNOT BE RELIED UPON FOR LONG TERM TIGHT SHUTOFF. IF MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS ARE TO BECOME A REALITY, TIGHT SHUTOFF MUST BE ACHIEVED BY MICROMACHINED VALVES. ALTHOUGH SURFACES ON MICROVALVES IN THEORY SHOULD BE ATOMICALLY SMOOTH, THUS ALLOWING FOR TIGHT SHUTOFF, PRACTICE HAS SHOWN THIS NOT TO BE THE CASE. EVEN THE BEST AMERICAN-MADE MICROVALVE EXHIBITS LEAKAGE RATES IN THE RANGE OF 0.045 CC/MIN. THIS IS MUCH TOO SEVERE TO USE FOR THE STORAGE OF GASES OR FOR OTHER APPLICATIONS WHERE LEAKAGE THROUGH THE VALVE SEAT CANNOT BE TOLERATED. THIS SBIR WILL EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL VALVE SEAT WHICH WILL ALLOW A MICROVALVE MANUFACTURED WITH MICROMACHINING TECHNIQUES TO SHUT TIGHT. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS - PROJECTED RESULTS WILL ALLOW MICROVALVES TO BETTER CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR MICROCOOLING ELECTRONICS, ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS, MICROBOTIC FLUIDIC CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND IMPLANTABLE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS.