Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper Molds
Rapid prototyping methods enable the widespread adoption of microfluidic technologies by empowering end-users from non-engineering disciplines to make devices using processes that are rapid, simple and inexpensive. In this work, we developed a liquid molding technique to create silicone/PDMS microfl...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/13/9/1408 |
| _version_ | 1827658727342211072 |
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| author | Raviraj Thakur Gene Y. Fridman |
| author_facet | Raviraj Thakur Gene Y. Fridman |
| author_sort | Raviraj Thakur |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rapid prototyping methods enable the widespread adoption of microfluidic technologies by empowering end-users from non-engineering disciplines to make devices using processes that are rapid, simple and inexpensive. In this work, we developed a liquid molding technique to create silicone/PDMS microfluidic devices by replica molding. To construct a liquid mold, we use inexpensive adhesive-backed paper, an acetate backing sheet, and an off-the-shelf digital cutter to create paper molds, which we then wet with predetermined amounts of water. Due to the immiscibility of water and PDMS, mold patterns can be effectively transferred onto PDMS similarly to solid molds. We demonstrate the feasibility of these wet paper molds for the fabrication of PDMS microfluidic devices and assess the influence of various process parameters on device yield and quality. This method possesses some distinct benefits compared to conventional techniques such as photolithography and 3D printing. First, we demonstrate that the shape of a channel’s cross-section may be altered from rectangular to semicircular by merely modifying the wetting parameters. Second, we illustrate how electrical impedance can be utilized as a marker for inspecting mold quality and identifying defects in a non-invasive manner without using visual tools such as microscopes or cameras. As a proof-of-concept device, we created a microfluidic T-junction droplet generator to produce water droplets in mineral oil ranging in size from 1.2 µL to 75 µL. We feel that this technology is an excellent addition to the microfluidic rapid prototyping toolbox and will find several applications in biological research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:08:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4738543d74a340a68aedb11693e83025 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:08:42Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-4738543d74a340a68aedb11693e830252023-11-23T17:49:00ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2022-08-01139140810.3390/mi13091408Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper MoldsRaviraj Thakur0Gene Y. Fridman1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USADepartment of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USARapid prototyping methods enable the widespread adoption of microfluidic technologies by empowering end-users from non-engineering disciplines to make devices using processes that are rapid, simple and inexpensive. In this work, we developed a liquid molding technique to create silicone/PDMS microfluidic devices by replica molding. To construct a liquid mold, we use inexpensive adhesive-backed paper, an acetate backing sheet, and an off-the-shelf digital cutter to create paper molds, which we then wet with predetermined amounts of water. Due to the immiscibility of water and PDMS, mold patterns can be effectively transferred onto PDMS similarly to solid molds. We demonstrate the feasibility of these wet paper molds for the fabrication of PDMS microfluidic devices and assess the influence of various process parameters on device yield and quality. This method possesses some distinct benefits compared to conventional techniques such as photolithography and 3D printing. First, we demonstrate that the shape of a channel’s cross-section may be altered from rectangular to semicircular by merely modifying the wetting parameters. Second, we illustrate how electrical impedance can be utilized as a marker for inspecting mold quality and identifying defects in a non-invasive manner without using visual tools such as microscopes or cameras. As a proof-of-concept device, we created a microfluidic T-junction droplet generator to produce water droplets in mineral oil ranging in size from 1.2 µL to 75 µL. We feel that this technology is an excellent addition to the microfluidic rapid prototyping toolbox and will find several applications in biological research.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/13/9/1408microfluidic devicesrapid prototypingmicromoldingpolydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)microfluidics fabricationmicrofabrication |
| spellingShingle | Raviraj Thakur Gene Y. Fridman Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper Molds Micromachines microfluidic devices rapid prototyping micromolding polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidics fabrication microfabrication |
| title | Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper Molds |
| title_full | Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper Molds |
| title_fullStr | Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper Molds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper Molds |
| title_short | Low Cost, Ease-of-Access Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Using Wet Paper Molds |
| title_sort | low cost ease of access fabrication of microfluidic devices using wet paper molds |
| topic | microfluidic devices rapid prototyping micromolding polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidics fabrication microfabrication |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/13/9/1408 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ravirajthakur lowcosteaseofaccessfabricationofmicrofluidicdevicesusingwetpapermolds AT geneyfridman lowcosteaseofaccessfabricationofmicrofluidicdevicesusingwetpapermolds |