Time-efficient fabrication method for 3D-printed microfluidic devices

Abstract

Recent developments in 3D-printing technology have provided a time-efficient and inexpensive alternative to the fabrication of microfluidic devices. At present, 3D-printed microfluidic systems face the challenges of post-processing, non-transparency, and being time consuming, limiting their practical application. In this study, a time-efficient and inexpensive fabrication method was developed for 3D-printed microfluidic devices. The material for 3D-printed microfluidic chips is Dowsil 732, which is used as a sealant or encapsulant in various industries. The curing time and surface hydrophobicity of the materials were evaluated. The results indicated that the surface of Dowsil 732 is hydrophilic. An optimization model of the direct ink writing method is proposed to establish a time-efficient and accurate fabrication method for microfluidic devices. The results indicate that the optimization model can effectively describe the change trend between printing speed, printing pressure, and channel wall accuracy, and the model accuracy rate exceeds 95%. Three examples—a micromixer, concentration gradient generator, and droplet generator—were printed to demonstrate the functionality and feasibility of the fabrication method.

Automated analysis of mitochondrial dimensions in mesenchymal stem cells: Current methods and future perspectives

“…FDM and DIW offer a wide repertoire of materials accessible with high biocompatibility (e.g., polylactic acid) [ 83 , 84 ] and transparency optimal for optical detection methods. Recently, Dowsil 732 from Dow Corning [ 85 ] has been reported as suitable material for microfluidic devices. The material provides hydrophilic, transparent surfaces and the production of the devices is cost- and time-efficient, making them suitable for clinical applications.…”

Low-cost microfluidics: Towards affordable environmental monitoring and assessment

“…3D printing technology has proven to be a cost-effective method for prototyping and engineering studies (Mehta and Rath, 2021;Jin et al, 2022). With the improvements of 3D printers, filaments and CAD technologies, 3D printing has emerged as a great tool to create microfluidic devices (Oh et al, 2022).…”

“…(D) 3D printed device made out of novel resin (Dowsil 732) that enables end-use devices. Reproduced with permission from (Jin et al, 2022). (E) Micromixer used to test Dowsil 732.…”

“…(E) Micromixer used to test Dowsil 732. Reproduced with permission from (Jin et al, 2022). (F) Droplet generator used to test Dowsil 732.…”

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