3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics
Traditional microfluidic fabrication methods are often limited by complexity and cost. In contrast, 3D printing offers rapid prototyping and intricate geometries, especially beneficial for asymmetric re-entrant structures. Techniques like stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), and...
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| Format: | Final Year Project (FYP) |
| Language: | English |
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Nanyang Technological University
2024
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177870 |
| _version_ | 1826110030084046848 |
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| author | Lim, Yu Fong |
| author2 | Zhou Kun |
| author_facet | Zhou Kun Lim, Yu Fong |
| author_sort | Lim, Yu Fong |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Traditional microfluidic fabrication methods are often limited by complexity and cost. In contrast, 3D printing offers rapid prototyping and intricate geometries, especially beneficial for asymmetric re-entrant structures. Techniques like stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), and selective laser sintering (SLS) enable high-resolution printing of complex features crucial for efficient fluid control. Applications span from lab-on-a-chip diagnostics to organ-on-a-chip platforms and microscale reactors. Customized microfluidic devices with tailored functionalities are empowering advancements in biomedical engineering, offering solutions for complex fluidic challenges at the microscale.
Despite significant advancements, the majority of natural and artificial structures struggle to enhance the Laplace pressure difference or capillary force, resulting in a low unidirectional capillary height (< 30 mm). In this study, asymmetric re-entrant structures featuring long horizontal overhangs and interconnected forward/lateral microchannels were fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing. This led to substantially increased unidirectional capillary heights of 102.3 mm and 44.6 mm for water and ethanol, respectively, nearing the theoretical limits. Building upon both asymmetric and symmetric re-entrant structures, we introduce the concept of liquid transistors to programmatically adjust capillary rise. These liquid transistors hold promise for developing functional microfluidic devices capable of high-efficiency liquid-patterning, desalination, and biochemical microreactions in 3D space. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T02:27:51Z |
| format | Final Year Project (FYP) |
| id | ntu-10356/177870 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T02:27:51Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publisher | Nanyang Technological University |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1778702024-06-08T16:51:02Z 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics Lim, Yu Fong Zhou Kun School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering kzhou@ntu.edu.sg Engineering Physics Traditional microfluidic fabrication methods are often limited by complexity and cost. In contrast, 3D printing offers rapid prototyping and intricate geometries, especially beneficial for asymmetric re-entrant structures. Techniques like stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), and selective laser sintering (SLS) enable high-resolution printing of complex features crucial for efficient fluid control. Applications span from lab-on-a-chip diagnostics to organ-on-a-chip platforms and microscale reactors. Customized microfluidic devices with tailored functionalities are empowering advancements in biomedical engineering, offering solutions for complex fluidic challenges at the microscale. Despite significant advancements, the majority of natural and artificial structures struggle to enhance the Laplace pressure difference or capillary force, resulting in a low unidirectional capillary height (< 30 mm). In this study, asymmetric re-entrant structures featuring long horizontal overhangs and interconnected forward/lateral microchannels were fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing. This led to substantially increased unidirectional capillary heights of 102.3 mm and 44.6 mm for water and ethanol, respectively, nearing the theoretical limits. Building upon both asymmetric and symmetric re-entrant structures, we introduce the concept of liquid transistors to programmatically adjust capillary rise. These liquid transistors hold promise for developing functional microfluidic devices capable of high-efficiency liquid-patterning, desalination, and biochemical microreactions in 3D space. Bachelor's degree 2024-06-03T03:49:11Z 2024-06-03T03:49:11Z 2024 Final Year Project (FYP) Lim, Y. F. (2024). 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics. Final Year Project (FYP), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177870 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177870 en A181 application/pdf Nanyang Technological University |
| spellingShingle | Engineering Physics Lim, Yu Fong 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics |
| title | 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics |
| title_full | 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics |
| title_fullStr | 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics |
| title_full_unstemmed | 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics |
| title_short | 3D printing of asymmetric re-entrant structures for microfluidics |
| title_sort | 3d printing of asymmetric re entrant structures for microfluidics |
| topic | Engineering Physics |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177870 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT limyufong 3dprintingofasymmetricreentrantstructuresformicrofluidics |