Arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown significant promise for delivering biomolecules into cells with high efficiency and low toxicity. In these applications, biomolecules are flowed from a large fluid reservoir, through the lumens of vertically-aligned, open-ended CNTs, and into cells cultured over top of the CNTs on the other side. Over the course of several transfection experiments, it was discovered that biomolecule delivery varied considerably depending on the type of biomolecule being delivered. It was also inferred that the number of CNTs the cells covered would affect the transfection rate. In this work, an experiment was designed and conducted to visually characterize fluid flow through these CNT arrays and other nanoporous membranes. The experiment utilizes a 3D printed flow device consisting of anodized alumina oxide (AAO) membranes and restricts flow to a predefined circular area. Flow data was taken by measuring the intensity of fluorescent dye as it diffused through the AAO membrane. The intensity measurements were then plotted as a function of time from which diffusion times constants were calculated. This work establishes a platform technique for visualizing fluid transport through AAO membranes, which can be applied to CNT arrays, and allow for the testing of the effects of other parameters on flow.
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