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3D Printing of Inertial Microfluidic Devices
Sajad Razavi Bazaz1,2, Omid Rouhi1, Mohammad Amin Raoufi1,3
1School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Scientific Reports
|April 5, 2020
Summary
Additive manufacturing enables novel fabrication of inertial microfluidic devices with complex geometries. This 3D printing method allows for precise control over channel design, enhancing particle and cell separation capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics
- Additive Manufacturing
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Inertial microfluidics is widely used for particle and cell separation.
- Fabricating microchannels with complex cross-sections is a significant challenge.
- Existing methods are limited to simple geometries like rectangular and trapezoidal channels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a new fabrication method for inertial microfluidic devices using additive manufacturing.
- To explore the fabrication of microchannels with complex and novel cross-sectional geometries.
- To demonstrate the versatility and scalability of the proposed fabrication workflow.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing high-resolution Digital Light Processing/Stereolithography (DLP/SLA) 3D printing for fabricating microfluidic parts.
- Bonding 3D printed components to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) sheets using double-coated pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.
- Fabricating and testing various inertial microfluidic device designs, including straight, spiral, and serpentine channels.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated diverse inertial microfluidic devices, including complex geometries previously impossible to create.
- Characterized devices demonstrated robustness, withstanding pressures up to 150 psi.
- The fabrication method showed minimal interference with device functionality and cell viability.
Conclusions:
- Additive manufacturing offers a versatile solution for fabricating complex inertial microfluidic devices.
- The proposed method facilitates the creation of bespoke passive internal flows for enhanced microfluidic applications.
- This workflow is suitable for large-scale production of advanced microfluidic devices.
