A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board
Abstract Calorimetry is crucial in biology, chemistry, physics, and pharmaceutical research, enabling the detection of heat changes at nanowatt and picowatt levels. However, traditional calorimetry systems are often limited by high costs and complex fabrication processes. Here, we reduce the cost an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58025-9 |
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| author | Hanliang Zhu Yue Zhang Lan Wang Jan Brodský Imrich Gablech Jianguo Feng Qi-Long Yan Shujie Yang Luke P. Lee Pavel Neuzil |
| author_facet | Hanliang Zhu Yue Zhang Lan Wang Jan Brodský Imrich Gablech Jianguo Feng Qi-Long Yan Shujie Yang Luke P. Lee Pavel Neuzil |
| author_sort | Hanliang Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Calorimetry is crucial in biology, chemistry, physics, and pharmaceutical research, enabling the detection of heat changes at nanowatt and picowatt levels. However, traditional calorimetry systems are often limited by high costs and complex fabrication processes. Here, we reduce the cost and fabrication complexity of microcalorimeters by utilizing widely available flexible printed circuit manufacturing processes. This device achieves temperature and power resolutions of ≈ 6 μK and ≈ 654 pW in vacuum. Its feasibility is validated across a wide range of measurements, including salt crystallization, protein crystallization, and cellular metabolism. Our concept enhances the accessibility of microcalorimeters for high-resolution thermal analysis, which is challenging for conventional calorimeters. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1e829678fdfb4d9c84bf3f17d4518741 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-1e829678fdfb4d9c84bf3f17d45187412025-08-20T02:10:19ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-03-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-58025-9A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit boardHanliang Zhu0Yue Zhang1Lan Wang2Jan Brodský3Imrich Gablech4Jianguo Feng5Qi-Long Yan6Shujie Yang7Luke P. Lee8Pavel Neuzil9Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Systems for Aerospace, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Systems for Aerospace, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Systems for Aerospace, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityDepartment of Microelectronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of TechnologyDepartment of Microelectronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of TechnologySchool of Microelectronics, Hefei University of TechnologyScience and Technology on Combustion, Internal Flow and Thermostructure Laboratory, Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityHarvard Medical School, Harvard University; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s HospitalHarvard Medical School, Harvard University; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s HospitalMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Systems for Aerospace, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityAbstract Calorimetry is crucial in biology, chemistry, physics, and pharmaceutical research, enabling the detection of heat changes at nanowatt and picowatt levels. However, traditional calorimetry systems are often limited by high costs and complex fabrication processes. Here, we reduce the cost and fabrication complexity of microcalorimeters by utilizing widely available flexible printed circuit manufacturing processes. This device achieves temperature and power resolutions of ≈ 6 μK and ≈ 654 pW in vacuum. Its feasibility is validated across a wide range of measurements, including salt crystallization, protein crystallization, and cellular metabolism. Our concept enhances the accessibility of microcalorimeters for high-resolution thermal analysis, which is challenging for conventional calorimeters.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58025-9 |
| spellingShingle | Hanliang Zhu Yue Zhang Lan Wang Jan Brodský Imrich Gablech Jianguo Feng Qi-Long Yan Shujie Yang Luke P. Lee Pavel Neuzil A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board Nature Communications |
| title | A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board |
| title_full | A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board |
| title_fullStr | A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board |
| title_full_unstemmed | A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board |
| title_short | A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board |
| title_sort | low cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58025-9 |
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