Direct-writing colloidal photonic crystal microfluidic chips by inkjet printing for label-free protein detection

Abstract

Integrating photonic crystals (PC) into microfluidic systems has attracted immense interest for its novel functions. However, it is still a great challenge to fabricate PC microfluidic chips rapidly with complex functions. In this work, a direct-writing colloidal PC microchannel was firstly achieved by inkjet printing and was used for the surface-tension-confined microfluidic immune assay. PC channels with different structure colors have been successfully integrated on one chip. The fabricated chip has the advantages of rapid fabrication, quick fluidic transport and can monitor the fluidic fluxion using the naked eye. Utilizing this PC microfluidic chip, a colorimetric label-free immune assay was realized without nonspecific adsorption interference of the target.

A colloidoscope of colloid-based porous materials and their uses

“…They can be confined in a thin film or formed as discrete superparticles, both of which can be spatially, chemically, and structurally patterned (as shown in Figure 17). Because of these different forms, CBPM sensors can be made as standalone indicators or integrated within a complex device, such as an electrochemical cell, 257, 258 microfluidic device, 259 or miniaturized spectrometer. 143 Their sensing mechanism can be tailored through chemical functionalization to achieve a response to various environmental stimuli.…”

Superhydrophobic and superoleophobic properties in nature

“…This equation can also predict the possibility of achieving superhydrophobic properties from intrinsically hydrophilic materials (u Y w < 90 ) and even superoleophobic properties from intrinsically oleophilic materials (u Y oils < 90 ). Materials with superhydrophobic or superoleophobic properties are in extreme demand due to various potential applications such as in anti-corrosion coatings, anti-icing coatings, liquid-repellent textiles, oil/water separation, nanoparticles assembly, microfluidic devices, printing techniques, optical devices, high-sensitive sensors or batteries [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. In many of these applications, the presence of an air layer trapped inside the surface roughness can reduce the liquid penetration (oil/water separation, anti-fogging), the ion penetration (anti-corrosion, water desalination, batteries), the heat transfer (anti-icing), while the surface roughness can improve the intrinsic properties of the materials (optical, electrical, catalytic properties).…”

Indirect immunofluorescence detection of E. coli O157:H7 with fluorescent silica nanoparticles

“…However, conventional organic fluorescent dye-based probes are not suitable due to their poor photostability. Advances in nanoparticle technology have yielded fluorescent probes that are more photostable and sensitive than conventional fluorescent dyes (Li et al, 2008;Shen et al, 2011Shen et al, , 2012. Dye-doped silica NPs, exhibiting important advantages such as high luminescence and photostability compared to conventional fluorescent dyes, have been widely applied in biological imaging and ultrasensitive bioanalysis, including cell staining, DNA detection, cell surface receptor targeting, and ultrasensitive detection of bacteria (Cai et al, 2013;Chen et al, 2012;Ye et al, 2004;Wang et al, 2007;He Contents et al, 2009Shi et al, 2010;Santra et al, 2001;Quentin et al, 2007).…”