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Kutscher A, Kalenczuk P, Shahadha M, Grünzner S, Obst F, Gruner D, Paschew G, Beck A, Howitz S, Richter A. Fabrication of Chemofluidic Integrated Circuits by Multi-Material Printing. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:699. [PMID: 36985107 PMCID: PMC10052728 DOI: 10.3390/mi14030699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Photolithographic patterning of components and integrated circuits based on active polymers for microfluidics is challenging and not always efficient on a laboratory scale using the traditional mask-based fabrication procedures. Here, we present an alternative manufacturing process based on multi-material 3D printing that can be used to print various active polymers in microfluidic structures that act as microvalves on large-area substrates efficiently in terms of processing time and consumption of active materials with a single machine. Based on the examples of two chemofluidic valve types, hydrogel-based closing valves and PEG-based opening valves, the respective printing procedures, essential influencing variables and special features are discussed, and the components are characterized with regard to their properties and tolerances. The functionality of the concept is demonstrated by a specific chemofluidic chip which automates an analysis procedure typical of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. Multi-material 3D printing allows active-material devices to be produced on chip substrates with tolerances comparable to photolithography but is faster and very flexible for small quantities of up to about 50 chips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kutscher
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Paula Kalenczuk
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mohammed Shahadha
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Grünzner
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Obst
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Denise Gruner
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Georgi Paschew
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anthony Beck
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Steffen Howitz
- GeSiM—Gesellschaft für Silizium-Mikrosysteme mbH, Bautzner Landstrasse 45, D-01454 Radeberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Richter
- Institute of Semiconductors and Microsystems, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
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Schneider S, Gruner D, Richter A, Loskill P. Membrane integration into PDMS-free microfluidic platforms for organ-on-chip and analytical chemistry applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:1866-1885. [PMID: 33949565 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00188d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Membranes play a crucial role in many microfluidic systems, enabling versatile applications in highly diverse research fields. However, the tight and robust integration of membranes into microfluidic systems requires complex fabrication processes. Most integration approaches, so far, rely on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as base material for the microfluidic chips. Several limitations of PDMS have resulted in the transition of many microfluidic approaches to PDMS-free systems using alternative materials such as thermoplastics. To integrate membranes in those PDMS-free systems, novel alternative approaches are required. This review provides an introduction into microfluidic systems applying membrane technology for analytical systems and organ-on-chip as well as a comprehensive overview of methods for the integration of membranes into PDMS-free systems. The overview and examples will provide a valuable resource and starting point for any researcher that is aiming at implementing membranes in microfluidic systems without using PDMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Schneider
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Denise Gruner
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany and Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Institut für Klinische Chemie und Laboratoriumsmedizin, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Richter
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter Loskill
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. and NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, 72770 Reutlingen, Germany
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Xie Y, Rufo J, Zhong R, Rich J, Li P, Leong KW, Huang TJ. Microfluidic Isolation and Enrichment of Nanoparticles. ACS NANO 2020; 14:16220-16240. [PMID: 33252215 PMCID: PMC8164652 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c06336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decades, nanoparticles have increased in implementation to a variety of applications ranging from high-efficiency electronics to targeted drug delivery. Recently, microfluidic techniques have become an important tool to isolate and enrich populations of nanoparticles with uniform properties (e.g., size, shape, charge) due to their precision, versatility, and scalability. However, due to the large number of microfluidic techniques available, it can be challenging to identify the most suitable approach for isolating or enriching a nanoparticle of interest. In this review article, we survey microfluidic methods for nanoparticle isolation and enrichment based on their underlying mechanisms, including acoustofluidics, dielectrophoresis, filtration, deterministic lateral displacement, inertial microfluidics, optofluidics, electrophoresis, and affinity-based methods. We discuss the principles, applications, advantages, and limitations of each method. We also provide comparisons with bulk methods, perspectives for future developments and commercialization, and next-generation applications in chemistry, biology, and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Xie
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Joseph Rufo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Ruoyu Zhong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Joseph Rich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Peng Li
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Kam W Leong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, United States
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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Beck A, Obst F, Busek M, Grünzner S, Mehner PJ, Paschew G, Appelhans D, Voit B, Richter A. Hydrogel Patterns in Microfluidic Devices by Do-It-Yourself UV-Photolithography Suitable for Very Large-Scale Integration. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:E479. [PMID: 32370256 PMCID: PMC7281684 DOI: 10.3390/mi11050479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The interest in large-scale integrated (LSI) microfluidic systems that perform high-throughput biological and chemical laboratory investigations on a single chip is steadily growing. Such highly integrated Labs-on-a-Chip (LoC) provide fast analysis, high functionality, outstanding reproducibility at low cost per sample, and small demand of reagents. One LoC platform technology capable of LSI relies on specific intrinsically active polymers, the so-called stimuli-responsive hydrogels. Analogous to microelectronics, the active components of the chips can be realized by photolithographic micro-patterning of functional layers. The miniaturization potential and the integration degree of the microfluidic circuits depend on the capability of the photolithographic process to pattern hydrogel layers with high resolution, and they typically require expensive cleanroom equipment. Here, we propose, compare, and discuss a cost-efficient do-it-yourself (DIY) photolithographic set-up suitable to micro-pattern hydrogel-layers with a resolution as needed for very large-scale integrated (VLSI) microfluidics. The achievable structure dimensions are in the lower micrometer scale, down to a feature size of 20 µm with aspect ratios of 1:5 and maximum integration densities of 20,000 hydrogel patterns per cm². Furthermore, we demonstrate the effects of miniaturization on the efficiency of a hydrogel-based microreactor system by increasing the surface area to volume (SA:V) ratio of integrated bioactive hydrogels. We then determine and discuss a correlation between ultraviolet (UV) exposure time, cross-linking density of polymers, and the degree of immobilization of bioactive components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Beck
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany; (A.B.); (M.B.); (S.G.); (P.J.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Franziska Obst
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany; (F.O.); (D.A.); (B.V.)
| | - Mathias Busek
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany; (A.B.); (M.B.); (S.G.); (P.J.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Stefan Grünzner
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany; (A.B.); (M.B.); (S.G.); (P.J.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Philipp J. Mehner
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany; (A.B.); (M.B.); (S.G.); (P.J.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Georgi Paschew
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany; (A.B.); (M.B.); (S.G.); (P.J.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Dietmar Appelhans
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany; (F.O.); (D.A.); (B.V.)
| | - Brigitte Voit
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany; (F.O.); (D.A.); (B.V.)
- Chair Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Richter
- Institut für Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany; (A.B.); (M.B.); (S.G.); (P.J.M.); (G.P.)
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Liu X, Toprakcioglu Z, Dear AJ, Levin A, Ruggeri FS, Taylor CG, Hu M, Kumita JR, Andreasen M, Dobson CM, Shimanovich U, Knowles TPJ. Fabrication and Characterization of Reconstituted Silk Microgels for the Storage and Release of Small Molecules. Macromol Rapid Commun 2019; 40:e1800898. [DOI: 10.1002/marc.201800898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xizhou Liu
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Zenon Toprakcioglu
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Alexander J. Dear
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Aviad Levin
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Francesco Simone Ruggeri
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Christopher G. Taylor
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Mengsha Hu
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Janet R. Kumita
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Maria Andreasen
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Dr. M. AndreasenAarhus University Wilhelm Meyer's Allé 3 8000 Aarhus Denmark
| | - Christopher M. Dobson
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | | | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- X. Liu, Z. Toprakcioglu, A. J. Dear, Dr. A. Levin, Dr. F. S. Ruggeri, C. G. Taylor, M. Hu, Dr. J. R. Kumita, Dr. M. Andreasen, Prof. C. M. Dobson, Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of ChemistryUniversity of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Prof. T. P. J. KnowlesDepartment of Physics J J Thomson Avenue Cambridge CB3 0HE UK
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