The microfabricated electrokinetic pump: a potential promising drug delivery technique

Directly delivering liquid using direct current power was a dream for 40 years. Now, the electrokinetic pump can accomplish it. This review reports recent developments in microfabricated electrokinetic pump technologies and their applications, and also discusses the electrophoresis pump and elctroosmotic pump, as well as the materials and fabrication methods frequently used for the production of these pump devices. Electrokinetics pumps can be used to deliver pure water, pure polar organic solvents, inorganic buffer and biomacromolecules, with wide applications for the delivery of liquids. These devices have the potential to become drug delivery systems, for the precise, timed and/or targeted delivery of drugs. Future trends, limitations and possibilities are also discussed.