Desktop Fabrication of Lab-On-Chip Devices on Flexible Substrates: A Brief Review

Abstract

Flexible microfluidic devices are currently in demand because they can be mass-produced in resource-limited settings using simple and inexpensive fabrication tools. Finding new ways to fabricate microfluidic platforms on flexible substrates has been a hot area. Integration of customized detection tools for different lab-on-chip applications has made this area challenging. Significant advancements have occurred in the area over the last decade; therefore, there is a need to review such interesting fabrication tools employed on flexible substrates, such as paper and plastics. In this short review, we review individual fabrication tools and their combinations that have been used to develop such platforms in the past five years. These tools are not only simple and low-cost but also require minimal skills for their operation. Moreover, key examples of plastic-based flexible substrates are also presented, because a diverse range of plastic materials have prevailed recently for a variety of lab-on-chip applications. This review should attract audience of various levels, i.e., from hobbyists to scientists, and from high school students to postdoctoral researchers, to produce their own flexible devices in their own settings.

Polymer Microchannel and Micromold Surface Polishing for Rapid, Low-Quantity Polydimethylsiloxane and Thermoplastic Microfluidic Device Fabrication

“…Polymer micromolds are fabricated through CNC milling [30], laser ablation [31], or 3D printing [32,33]; these are straightforward methods with low-cost desktop fabrication facilities. Such facilities also require fewer operating skills, enabling broad usage [3,34]. However, surface defects, such as milling marks and those due to overheating, or poor printing resolution resulting from the use of related techniques may result in rough microchannels or micromolds or uneven substrate surfaces, limiting microfluidic device performance.…”

Microfluidic Point-of-Care Testing: Commercial Landscape and Future Directions

“…Glass and Silicon were the first substrates used and channels could either be etched or created using photolithography. However, since both these materials are expensive, plastic and polymers are now being used as alternatives (McDonald et al, 2000 ; Qamar and Shamsi, 2020 ).…”

DNA interfaces with dimensional materials for biomedical applications

“…86 These platforms can be easily fabricated through desktop wax and inkjet printers. [87][88][89] Specically, it was demonstrated that physisorbed DNA improves the electrochemical property of MoS 2 electrodes, because it reduces the bandgap of the MoS 2 . The electrocatalytic current is sequencedependent, and the hybridization event further enhances the response in the high ionic strength environment, which was translated into ultra-sensitive detection of CGG trinucleotide repeats associated with fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.…”