Titanium Micro Diaphragm Pump forImplantable Medical Applications

Abstract:
Medical applications pose multiple requirements to micropumps like high fluidic performance, small size, and biocompatibility. We introduce a piezoelectric micro diaphragm pump made of titanium and PZT. It is specifically suitable for medical applications as it offers the known high-pressure capacity and large flow rates of similar sized diaphragm pumps combined with the advantageous material properties of titanium. The device is MRI- as well as biocompatible, and the material choice enables easy hermetic sealing. We build and characterise a first group of titanium micropumps and compare their pump performance to similar stainless steel pumps. Water flow rates of up to 16 ml/min and maximal backpressures up to 80 kPa found for the titanium micropumps appear promising to transport body liquids or drugs with a wide rheological spectrum.