Screen Printed Particle-Based Microfluidics: Optimization and Exemplary Application for Heavy Metals Analysis

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Microfluidics systems are crucial for various analytical applications.
• Developing cost-effective and customizable methods for microfluidics fabrication is an ongoing challenge.
• Existing methods may lack control over material properties and shape precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel screen-printing method for fabricating porous particle-based microfluidics.
• To investigate the use of xanthan gum as a binder and thickener in the printing mixture.
• To demonstrate the method's applicability in creating microfluidic chips for quantitative metal ion detection.

Main Methods:

• Screen-printing technique utilizing porous particle-based materials.
• Evaluation of xanthan gum as a binding agent and thickener.
• Characterization of material thickness, wetting properties, and shape control.
• Fabrication of a microfluidics chip for detecting Fe(III), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II).

Main Results:

• Xanthan gum proved to be an effective thickener and durable binder.
• Successful control over the shape, thickness, and wetting characteristics of printed microfluidics.
• Demonstrated accuracy of the screen-printing method.
• Developed a microfluidics chip capable of quantitative detection of multiple metal ions at millimolar levels.

Conclusions:

• The developed screen-printing method offers a versatile approach for fabricating custom microfluidics.
• Xanthan gum is a suitable material for creating durable and precisely shaped microfluidic devices.
• This technique provides a new perspective for developing multiplexed, on-site chemical analysis systems.