Low-Cost Fabrication of Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices by One-Step Plotting

Abstract

In this technical note, we describe a facile method for one-step fabrication of paper-based microfluidic devices, by simply using commercially available permanent markers and metal templates with specific patterns. The fabrication process involves only a single step of plotting pattern in paper; it can be typically finished within 1 min. The ink marks formed in the patterned paper will act as the hydrophobic barriers to define the hydrophilic flow paths or separate test zones. Various paper devices can be created by using different templates with corresponding patterns. Transparent adhesive tape-sandwiched devices could protect their assay surfaces from potential contamination. In the proof-of-concept experiments, circular paper test zones (∼3 mm diameter) were fabricated for colorimetric and quantification detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a model target, based on dotimmunogold staining assays coupled with gold enhancement amplification. Several serum specimens were additionally evaluated with this new approach and the results were compared with the commercial chemiluminescence immunoassay, validating its feasibility of practical applications. Such a one-step plotting method for paper patterning does not require any specialized equipments and skills, is quite inexpensive and rapid, and thus holds great potential to find wide applications especially in remote regions and resource-limited environments such as small laboratories and private clinics.

Paper-based microfluidic devices by asymmetric calendaring

“…To validate the capability of fabricated channels as microfluidic devices, a "Y" design was used for fluid flow and theoretically compared with the literature (Figures 3(a)-3(c)). 5,8,10,11,14,16,18,20,[37][38][39][40][41][42][43] Other geometries were also fabricated (Figures 3(d) and 3(e)) to show the versatility of the targeted asymmetric calendaring and hydrophobization (TACH) method. The microfluidic devices were manufactured using paper and tested with dyed water (food color) for visualization.…”

“…Therefore, it fits the materials' needs for improved microfluidic devices, but its native wetting properties render it incompatible with most environmental or bio-analytical samples. 5,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] A range of methods have been developed to control its wetting properties, such as surface modification through particle deposition, wax printing, and sol-gel techniques, among many others. 8,9,16,[22][23][24][25][26][27] Paper as a material is asymmetric in its porosity across the thickness, a feature that is a consequence of the preparation methods.…”

Diagnosis of communicable diseases using papepr microfluidic platforms

“…width and length) of the device. The conventional methods used for creating hydrophobic barriers are inkjet printing [17][18][19], wax printing [20,21], flexographic printing [22], photolithography [23], wax dipping [24], plasma treatment [19,25], screenprinting of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) [15], lacquer spraying [26] and using a permanent marker [27]. The details of these fabrication methods have been studied comprehensively by several researchers [11,28,29].…”

Paper and Fiber-Based Bio-Diagnostic Platforms: Current Challenges and Future Needs

“…Fabrication of these platforms involves a wide variety of techniques, including plotting [13,14], wax-printing [15][16][17][18][19], inkjet-printing [20,21], flexographic printing [22], computer-controlled knife cutting [23], laser cutting [24,25], vapor-phase polymer deposition [26][27][28], photolithography [29][30][31][32][33][34], spraying [35], electrospinning [5,6,36] and coating [37], among others (Table 1) [2,21]. Different aspects of paper-based bio-diagnostic devices, including fabrication strategies, applications for the recognition of various biomolecular entities, the storability as well as the marketability of the paper-based products have been extensively reviewed [2,3,21,[38][39][40][41].…”