Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography
Abstract Background Liquid metal (LM) can be integrated into microfluidic channel, bringing new functionalities of microfluidics and opening a new window for soft microfluidic electronics, due to the superior advantages of the conductivity and deformability of LMs. However, patterning the LMs into m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Nanobiotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-022-01471-0 |
| _version_ | 1817995718112051200 |
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| author | Yang Zhang Haowei Duan Guoqiang Li Maoyu Peng Xing Ma Ming Li Sheng Yan |
| author_facet | Yang Zhang Haowei Duan Guoqiang Li Maoyu Peng Xing Ma Ming Li Sheng Yan |
| author_sort | Yang Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Liquid metal (LM) can be integrated into microfluidic channel, bringing new functionalities of microfluidics and opening a new window for soft microfluidic electronics, due to the superior advantages of the conductivity and deformability of LMs. However, patterning the LMs into microfluidic channels requires either selective surface wetting or complex fabrication process. Results In this work, we develop a method to pattern the LMs onto the soft elastomer via soft lithographic process for fabrication of soft microfluidic sensors without the surface modification, bulky facilities, and complicated processes. The combination of the interfacial hydrogen bond and surface tension enables the LM patterns transfer to the soft elastomer. The transferred LM patterns with an ellipse-like cross-section further improve the stability under the mechanical deformation. Three proof-of-concept experiments were conducted to demonstrate the utilization of this method for development of thermochromic sensors, self-powered capacity sensors and flexible biosensor for glucose detection. Conclusions In summary, the proposed method offers a new patterning method to obtain soft microfluidic sensors and brings new possibilities for microfluidics-related wearable devices. Graphical Abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:10:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d32a0a6a7594472bbfec01ba77e485f1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1477-3155 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:10:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Nanobiotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d32a0a6a7594472bbfec01ba77e485f12022-12-22T02:18:26ZengBMCJournal of Nanobiotechnology1477-31552022-05-0120111510.1186/s12951-022-01471-0Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithographyYang Zhang0Haowei Duan1Guoqiang Li2Maoyu Peng3Xing Ma4Ming Li5Sheng Yan6Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen UniversitySchool of Engineering, Macquarie UniversitySauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen UniversitySauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)School of Engineering, Macquarie UniversityInstitute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen UniversityAbstract Background Liquid metal (LM) can be integrated into microfluidic channel, bringing new functionalities of microfluidics and opening a new window for soft microfluidic electronics, due to the superior advantages of the conductivity and deformability of LMs. However, patterning the LMs into microfluidic channels requires either selective surface wetting or complex fabrication process. Results In this work, we develop a method to pattern the LMs onto the soft elastomer via soft lithographic process for fabrication of soft microfluidic sensors without the surface modification, bulky facilities, and complicated processes. The combination of the interfacial hydrogen bond and surface tension enables the LM patterns transfer to the soft elastomer. The transferred LM patterns with an ellipse-like cross-section further improve the stability under the mechanical deformation. Three proof-of-concept experiments were conducted to demonstrate the utilization of this method for development of thermochromic sensors, self-powered capacity sensors and flexible biosensor for glucose detection. Conclusions In summary, the proposed method offers a new patterning method to obtain soft microfluidic sensors and brings new possibilities for microfluidics-related wearable devices. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-022-01471-0MicrofluidicsBiosensorsLiquid metalSoft electronics |
| spellingShingle | Yang Zhang Haowei Duan Guoqiang Li Maoyu Peng Xing Ma Ming Li Sheng Yan Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography Journal of Nanobiotechnology Microfluidics Biosensors Liquid metal Soft electronics |
| title | Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography |
| title_full | Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography |
| title_fullStr | Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography |
| title_full_unstemmed | Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography |
| title_short | Construction of liquid metal-based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography |
| title_sort | construction of liquid metal based soft microfluidic sensors via soft lithography |
| topic | Microfluidics Biosensors Liquid metal Soft electronics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-022-01471-0 |
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