Solvent-based post-processing to fill layer gaps in FFF-printed polypropylene fluidic chips and their application to...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Manufacturing Engineering

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3D) printing, particularly fused filament fabrication (FFF), is increasingly used for creating experimental tools.
• FFF-printed objects, such as polypropylene fluidic chips, can have gaps between printed paths, leading to liquid leakage issues.
• Addressing these gaps is crucial for the reliable application of 3D-printed fluidic devices in analytical chemistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a post-processing method for sealing layer gaps in FFF-printed polypropylene fluidic chips.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of solvent-based post-processing in preventing liquid leakage.
• To confirm the functionality of the post-processed chips in analytical measurements.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of polypropylene fluidic chips using fused filament fabrication (FFF).
• Application of a compression process involving heating and mechanical compression of the printed chips.
• Subsequent solvent-based post-processing to fill remaining layer gaps.
• Performance evaluation using flow-injection measurements to assess peak profiles and detect leakage.

Main Results:

• The combined compression and solvent-based post-processing effectively filled gaps in the FFF-printed polypropylene fluidic chips.
• No leakage was observed from the post-processed fluidic chips during flow-injection measurements.
• Clear peak profiles were obtained, indicating successful operation of the chips for analytical measurements.

Conclusions:

• Solvent-based post-processing, combined with compression, is an effective method for eliminating leakage in 3D-printed polypropylene fluidic chips.
• This technique enhances the reliability of FFF-printed fluidic devices for analytical applications.
• The developed method offers a viable solution for fabricating leak-proof fluidic tools using 3D printing.