Fabricating self-powered microfluidic devices via 3D printing for manipulating fluid flow

Advances in 3D printing technologies allow fabrication of complex structures at micron resolution. Here, we describe two approaches of fabricating self-powered microfluidic devices utilizing 3D printing: PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic devices with a built-in vacuum pocket fabricated by soft lithography using a 3D-printed mold, and non-PDMS microfluidic devices operating by a removable vacuum battery fabricated by 3D-printed materials. These microfluidic devices can be used for controlling blood flow and separating blood plasma. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Woo et al. (2021).