MICROFLUID ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICE FOR MEASURING VOLUME FLOW RATE

Abstract

The invention relates to a microfluidic electrochemical device comprising a microfluidic channel 11a, 11b, 11c and an electrochemical cell 14a, 14b, 14c having a pair of working electrodes WE1, WE2 separated by an inter-electrode distance La, Lb, Lc along a direction of fluid flow in the microfluidic channel, a counter electrode CE, and a reference electrode REF. The microfluidic electrochemical device includes an electrochemical amperometric measurement system 15 configured to polarize the pair of working electrodes such that each electrode produces an amperometric signal by oxidation or reduction reaction with the electroactive fluid or with a chemical species associated with a redox couple to which the fluid belongs.The microfluidic electrochemical device determines the average volumetric flow rate of the fluid in the microfluidic channel based, in particular, on the inter-electrode distance and a time delay between the amperometric signals produced by the working electrode pair. Figure to be published: 9.