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3D printed nozzles on a silicon fluidic chip.

The Review of scientific instruments·2019

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Microfluidic polyimide gas dynamic virtual nozzles for serial crystallography.

Mohammad Vakili¹, Ramakrishna Vasireddi¹, Paul V Gwozdz²

¹Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.

The Review of Scientific Instruments

|September 3, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a laser ablation method to create precise, solvent-resistant Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzles (GDVNs). These 3D flow-focused nozzles are ideal for serial femtosecond X-ray (SFX) crystallography sample delivery.

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Area of Science:

Crystallography
Materials Science
Engineering

Background:

Free liquid jets are crucial for sample delivery in serial femtosecond X-ray (SFX) crystallography.
Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzles (GDVNs) focus liquid jets to micrometers using an outer gas stream.
Existing GDVN fabrication methods have limitations in materials and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a rapid prototyping laser ablation approach for micromachining GDVNs.
To create solvent-resistant and inert Kapton polyimide-based GDVNs.
To enable 3D flow-focused GDVNs for advanced crystallography experiments.

Main Methods:

Utilized laser ablation for micromachining Kapton polyimide foils.
Developed a rapid prototyping technique for precise nozzle fabrication.
Fabricated 3D flow-focused Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzles.

Main Results:

Achieved highly reproducible geometric features in the micromachined nozzles.
Demonstrated the suitability of Kapton polyimide for solvent-resistant and inert GDVNs.
Produced 3D flow-focused GDVNs compatible with synchrotron and free-electron laser facilities.

Conclusions:

Laser ablation offers a broadly accessible and rapid method for GDVN fabrication.
Kapton polyimide is a suitable material for creating robust and inert GDVNs.
The developed GDVNs enhance sample delivery for SFX crystallography.