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Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film
Published on: July 10, 2016
Floating-on-water Fabrication Method for Thin Polydimethylsiloxane Membranes
Daehan Kim1, Sung-Hwan Kim1, Joong Yull Park2
1School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Korea.
Abstract:
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes are used in various applications, such as microvalves, micropumps, microlenses, and cell culture substrates, with various thicknesses from microscale to nanoscale. In this study, we propose a simple fabrication method for PDMS membranes on a water surface, referred to as the floating-on-water (FoW) method. FoW can be used to easily fabricate PDMS membranes with thicknesses of a few micrometers (minimum 3 μm) without special equipment. In addition, as the membrane is fabricated on the water surface, it can be easily handled without damage. In addition, alternative membrane structures were demonstrated, such as membrane-on-pins and droplet-shaped membranes. FoW can be widely used in various applications that require PDMS membranes with microscale thicknesses.
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