Ultrasonic welding for the rapid integration of fluidic connectors into microfluidic chips

Finkbeiner, Tim; Soergel, Hannah; Koschitzky, Moritz P.; Ahrens, Ralf; Guber, A.E.

doi:10.1088/1361-6439/ab10d2

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…The modular and user-friendly set-up of the chips was possible through tube fittings N210-9 (Value Plastics dba Nordson MEDICAL, USA) with an inner diameter of 1.6 mm inner diameter as fluidic connectors as described elsewhere (Finkbeiner et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3b , c ), which sealed the whole system to the outside. In the same step, we integrated the tube fittings as described elsewhere (Finkbeiner et al 2019 ). To avoid further tension on the membrane, the second welding seam was placed with an offset of 0.28 mm and an overlap of 0.07 mm in relation to the first welding seam.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To examine the tightness of the chips, we connected the tube fittings of the perfusion chamber to compressed nitrogen, while the cell chamber openings were closed using 3 M Polyester Film Tape 851 (3 M Deutschland GmbH, Germany). Subsequently, we immersed the whole chip in a beaker with water and tested for tightness as described elsewhere (Finkbeiner et al 2019 ). In addition, we recorded pressure over flow rates of individual chips, or of two chips connected in series to validate a proper and leakage-free operation.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We fabricate the system, made of biocompatible and transparent thermoplastics through ultrasonic welding providing a fast, efficient and biocompatible joining technique (Ehrenstein and Ahlers-Hestermann 2004 ; Grewell et al 2003 ; Potente 2004 ). This system is endowed with a user-friendly and tight connector type (Finkbeiner et al 2019 ), such that it allows for convenient combination of different modules harbouring different cell populations through a common metabolic or signalling flow. We present three proof-of-concept applications for the use of this microfluidic chip.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A modular microfluidic bioreactor to investigate plant cell–cell interactions

et al. 2021

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Plants produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites, which often are of interest to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry. Plant-cell cultures allow producing these metabolites in a standardised manner, independently from various biotic and abiotic factors difficult to control during conventional cultivation. However, plant-cell fermentation proves to be very difficult, since these chemically complex compounds often result from the interaction of different biosynthetic pathways operating in different cell types. To simulate such interactions in cultured cells is a challenge. Here, we present a microfluidic bioreactor for plant-cell cultivation to mimic the cell–cell interactions occurring in real plant tissues. In a modular set-up of several microfluidic bioreactors, different cell types can connect through a flow that transports signals or metabolites from module to module. The fabrication of the chip includes hot embossing of a polycarbonate housing and subsequent integration of a porous membrane and in-plane tube fittings in a two-step ultrasonic welding process. The resulting microfluidic chip is biocompatible and transparent. Simulation of mass transfer for the nutrient sucrose predicts a sufficient nutrient supply through the membrane. We demonstrate the potential of this chip for plant cell biology in three proof-of-concept applications. First, we use the chip to show that tobacco BY-2 cells in suspension divide depending on a “quorum-sensing factor” secreted by proliferating cells. Second, we show that a combination of two Catharanthus roseus cell strains with complementary metabolic potency allows obtaining vindoline, a precursor of the anti-tumour compound vincristine. Third, we extend the approach to operationalise secretion of phytotoxins by the fungus Neofusicoccum parvum as a step towards systems to screen for interorganismal chemical signalling.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A modular microfluidic bioreactor to investigate plant cell–cell interactions

et al. 2021

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“…We demonstrate that commercially available resin can withstand the high pressures (>800 bar) and temperatures (>250 °C) of a typical injection molding process while simultaneously allowing for accurate fabrication and replication of micro features at a fraction of the cost, time, and expertise of the inlay manufacturing methods listed above. Although ultrasonic welding has been used for the sealing of microfluidic devices in the past, [ 38,39 ] the effect of the dimensions of the weld seams and welding process on the geometry on the microfluidic channel has not been well reported. Here we describe these details for weld seams with dimensions relevant to the 3D printing process so that a reliable seal with minimal effect of the channel shape can be achieved.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

3D Printed Tooling for Injection Molded Microfluidics

Convery

Samardzhieva

Stormonth-Darling

et al. 2021

Macro Materials & Eng

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Microfluidics have been used for several decades to conduct a wide range of research in chemistry and the life sciences. The reduced dimensions of these devices give them advantages over classical analysis techniques such as increased sensitivity, shorter analysis times, and lower reagent consumption. However, current manufacturing processes for microfluidic chips either limit them to materials with unwanted properties, or are not cost‐effective for rapid‐prototyping approaches. Here the authors show that inlays for injection moulding can be 3D printed, thus reducing the skills, cost, and time required for tool fabrication. They demonstrate the importance of orientation of the part during 3D printing so that features as small as 100 × 200 µm can be printed. They also demonstrate that the 3D printed inlay is durable enough to fabricate at least 500 parts. Furthermore, devices can be designed, manufactured, and tested within one working day. Finally, as demonstrators they design and mould a microfluidic chip to house a plasmonic biosensor as well as a device to house liver organoids showing how such chips can be used in organ‐on‐a‐chip applications. This new fabrication technique bridges the gap between small production and industrial scale manufacturing, while making microfluidics cheaper, and more widely accessible.

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