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Paper microfluidics goes digital.

Ryan Fobel1, Andrea E Kirby, Alphonsus H C Ng

  • 1Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|January 25, 2014
PubMed
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This summary is machine-generated.

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Researchers developed the first inkjet-printed digital microfluidics (DMF) on paper. This low-cost paper-based DMF enables complex assays, matching traditional device performance.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Digital microfluidics (DMF) offers precise fluid control but often relies on complex and expensive fabrication methods.
  • Paper-based microfluidics presents a low-cost alternative but typically utilizes passive, capillary-driven flow, limiting complex operations.
  • Integrating active digital microfluidics principles onto paper substrates remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the first implementation of digital microfluidics (DMF) on paper using inkjet printing.
  • To demonstrate the capability of paper-based DMF for executing complex, multistep biochemical assays.
  • To compare the performance and cost-effectiveness of paper-based DMF with traditional DMF devices.

Main Methods:

Keywords:
diagnosticsdigital microfluidicselectrowettingenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)paper

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  • Inkjet printing of conductive materials and dielectric layers onto a paper substrate to create addressable electrodes for digital microfluidics.
  • Development and execution of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocol on the paper-based DMF device.
  • Performance evaluation of the paper-based DMF device by comparing its assay results and operational capabilities with conventional photolithographically fabricated DMF devices.

    • Main Results:

    • Successful fabrication of the first digital microfluidics (DMF) device on paper using inkjet printing technology.
    • Demonstration of a complex, multistep sandwich ELISA assay on the paper-based DMF, showcasing its ability to handle intricate protocols.
    • Achieved comparable analytical performance to traditional photolithographically patterned DMF devices.
    • Significantly reduced fabrication cost compared to conventional DMF devices.

    Conclusions:

    • Inkjet printing enables the cost-effective fabrication of digital microfluidics (DMF) devices on paper substrates.
    • Paper-based DMF is a viable platform for performing complex immunoassays, overcoming limitations of capillary-driven paper microfluidics.
    • This technology offers a promising, low-cost alternative to traditional DMF devices for various analytical applications.