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Custom 3D printer and resin for 18 μm × 20 μm microfluidic flow channels
Hua Gong1, Bryce P Bickham, Adam T Woolley
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. nordin@byu.edu.
Lab on a Chip
|July 21, 2017
Summary
This study introduces a custom digital light processor stereolithographic (DLP-SLA) 3D printer and resin capable of fabricating microfluidic devices with feature sizes as small as 18 μm. This breakthrough enables high-resolution 3D printing for microfluidics, rivaling traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Engineering
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- 3D printing is of high interest for microfluidic device fabrication.
- Current 3D printing methods struggle to achieve sub-100 μm feature sizes necessary for true microfluidics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a digital light processor stereolithographic (DLP-SLA) 3D printing system capable of fabricating microfluidic devices with sub-100 μm feature sizes.
- To develop a custom, low-cost resin and a novel channel narrowing technique for high-resolution microfluidic 3D printing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a custom DLP-SLA 3D printer with a 7.6 μm projected image plane resolution and a 385 nm LED.
- Developed a high-resolution resin by evaluating 20 UV absorbers, introducing a new mathematical model for optical penetration depth.
- Employed a novel channel narrowing technique alongside the custom resin and printer resolution.
Main Results:
- Achieved flow channel cross-sections as small as 18 μm × 20 μm.
- Fabricated 3D serpentine flow channels 41 mm long in a 0.12 mm³ volume.
- Printed high aspect ratio flow channels <25 μm wide and 3 mm tall.
Conclusions:
- The developed DLP-SLA system, custom resin, and techniques enable true microfluidic feature sizes.
- 3D printing is now a viable alternative to methods like soft lithography for microfluidic device prototyping and fabrication.
