Surface modification on polydimethylsiloxane-based microchannels with fragmented poly(l-lactic acid) nanosheets

Surface modification is a critical issue in various applications of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic devices. Here, we describe a novel method through which PDMS-based microchannels were successfully modified with fragmented poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) nanosheets through a simple patchwork technique that exploited the high level of adhesiveness of PLLA nanosheets. Compared with other surface modification methods, our method required neither complicated chemical modifications nor the use of organic solvents that tend to cause PDMS swelling. The experimental results indicated that the modified PDMS exhibited excellent capacity for preventing the adhesion and activation of platelets. This simple yet efficient method can be used to fabricate the special PDMS microfluidic devices for biological, medical, and even hematological purposes.