Microfluidic Device for Investigation of Mineral/Liquid Interactions

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project originates from the importance that minerals plays in our society. Energy and food security for a growing world population depend on improving our understanding of complex minerals such as shales and apatites. Key materials as different as concrete, coal and soil, all feature a key mineral component. Progress has occurred throughout the mineral industry, but decreasing quality of feedstocks and environmental concerns call for innovation in the sector. As an example, analytical testing of minerals reactivity still relies on traditional wet chemistry apparatus (e.g., beaker and volumetric flasks), which do not allow an accurate understanding of impurities and accessory components behavior. Such impurities often determine the performance of the processed material. Since the market of laboratory testing services accounts for US$7.1bn in the US, there is an evident opportunity for commercial development of analytical devices that can significantly improve accuracy of experimental data, minimize cost and environmental footprints.

This I-Corps project focuses on the development of a microfluidic device to perform chemical reactions on surfaces of mineral samples. The device combines in one single platform both petrographic and wet chemistry analysis, and enhances the resolution of mineral/liquid investigations to the micrometer scale. Originally, the research was developed to study the release of agricultural nutrients from silicate minerals to the pores that occur naturally in soil. It was demonstrated that at the microscale the rate at which such release occurs is faster than previously thought. Subsequently, the potential of the technology for high throughput screening of geological samples for the oil and gas and mining industries was validated.