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A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board

Author

Listed:
  • Hanliang Zhu

    (Northwestern Polytechnical University)

  • Yue Zhang

    (Northwestern Polytechnical University)

  • Lan Wang

    (Northwestern Polytechnical University)

  • Jan Brodský

    (Brno University of Technology)

  • Imrich Gablech

    (Brno University of Technology)

  • Jianguo Feng

    (Hefei University of Technology)

  • Qi-Long Yan

    (Northwestern Polytechnical University)

  • Shujie Yang

    (Brigham and Women’s Hospital)

  • Luke P. Lee

    (Brigham and Women’s Hospital
    University of California at Berkeley
    Sungkyunkwan University
    Ewha Womans University)

  • Pavel Neuzil

    (Northwestern Polytechnical University)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Hanliang Zhu & Yue Zhang & Lan Wang & Jan Brodský & Imrich Gablech & Jianguo Feng & Qi-Long Yan & Shujie Yang & Luke P. Lee & Pavel Neuzil, 2025. "A low-cost picowatt calorimeter using a flexible printed circuit board," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58025-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58025-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sunghoon Hur & Rohith Mittapally & Swathi Yadlapalli & Pramod Reddy & Edgar Meyhofer, 2020. "Sub-nanowatt resolution direct calorimetry for probing real-time metabolic activity of individual C. elegans worms," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Wei Guo & Andrew B. Kinghorn & Yage Zhang & Qingchuan Li & Aditi Dey Poonam & Julian A. Tanner & Ho Cheung Shum, 2021. "Non-associative phase separation in an evaporating droplet as a model for prebiotic compartmentalization," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Lothar Houben & Haim Weissman & Sharon G. Wolf & Boris Rybtchinski, 2020. "A mechanism of ferritin crystallization revealed by cryo-STEM tomography," Nature, Nature, vol. 579(7800), pages 540-543, March.
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