Democratised microfluidic prototyping using a 3D-printed click-and-connect scaffold library

Robert R. Hughes*, Harry Felton, Andrea Diaz Gaxiola

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

Abstract

This paper reports a negligible-cost, open-source method for the rapid prototyping of microfluidic systems in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using a 3D-printed library of click-and-connect microchannel scaffolds. In conjunction with a simple thermal bonding process, these single-extrusion thermoplastic scaffolds are designed and used to quickly configure microfluidic system negatives, for use as master molds in the fabrication of PDMS microfluidics demonstrated herein. With this technique, a 5000-piece library of mix-and-match interconnecting channel scaffolds can be printed, with a 100 µm channel width, for ~$0.50. This simple yet innovative approach could help to lower the economic barriers for lab-on-a-chip fabrication.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMicroTAS 2020 - 24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences
PublisherChemical and Biological Microsystems Society
Pages428-429
Number of pages2
ISBN (Electronic)9781733419017
Publication statusPublished - 2020
Event24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, MicroTAS 2020 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 4 Oct 20209 Oct 2020

Publication series

NameMicroTAS 2020 - 24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences

Conference

Conference24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, MicroTAS 2020
CityVirtual, Online
Period4/10/209/10/20

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Research supported via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) & Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) via the BristolBridge program (EP/M027546/1) with additional support from EPSRC, grant reference EP/R032696/1. Thanks also to Dr Annela Seddon, University of Bristol, for her support.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 CBMS-0001

Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • 3D-Printing
  • Low-Cost Microfluidics
  • Polydimethylsiloxane

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