Low-cost origami fabrication of 3D self-aligned hybrid microfluidic structures

Abstract

Abstract3D microfluidic device fabrication methods are normally quite expensive and tedious.In this paper we present an easy and cheap alternative wherein thin cyclic olefin polymer (COP) sheets, and pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) were used to fabricate hybrid 3D microfluidic structures, by the Origami technique, which enables the fabrication of microfluidic devices without the need of any alignment tool. The COP and PSA layers were both cut simultaneously using a portable, low cost plotter allowing for rapid prototyping of a large variety of designs in a single production step. The devices were then manually assembled using the origami technique by simply combining COP and PSA layers and mild pressure. This fast fabrication method was applied, as proof of concept, to the generation of a micromixer with a 3D stepped serpentine design made of 10 layers in less than 8 min. Moreover the micromixer was characterised as a function of its pressure failure, achieving pressures of up to 1000 mbar. This fabrication method is readily accessible across a large range of potential endusers, such as educational agencies (schools, universities), low income/developing world research and industry or any laboratory without access to clean room facilities, enabling the fabrication of robust, reproducible microfluidic devices.

Microfluidic-Based Synthesis of Magnetic Nanoparticles Coupled with Miniaturized NMR for Online Relaxation Studies

“…First it was used for simple designs like mixing structures, especially for rapid prototyping. Over time more intricate designs could be built by this method inlcuding valves, 3D mixers, flow-based microarray chips, or designs in combination with origami techniques . Straight channels with a minimum width of 200 μm and stand-alone features like posts no smaller than 300 μm could be achieved in tape-based microfluidic devices while most used lithographic methods showing resolutions in the range of tens or several hundreds of microns .…”

A simple and low-cost chip bonding solution for high pressure, high temperature and biological applications

“…18 Microfabrication based on pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) has also been reported for the fast and easy prototyping of entire microfluidic devices manufactured by desktop craft cutters. 19,20 Some reported works combine this type of adhesive with more commonly employed materials. In particular, double-coated adhesive tape has been proposed for the fabrication of PDMS-tape composites that can be bound to other materials, 21 but this still implies elaborate fabrication protocols.…”

Gaussian Beam Shaping and Multivariate Analysis in Plasmonic Sensing

“…Prior to the deposition process, the BK7 substrate is cleaned in an ultrasonic bath using acetone and isopropanol as solvents, 5 min each, and rinsed with water. Subsequently, the metallized plasmonic transducer is integrated into a microfluidic chamber, which is manufactured by lamination of polymer layers using an origami-based self-alignment method . A microfluidic chamber is structured in a double-sided adhesive polymer layer (ARseal 8939, Adhesive Research, Ireland), which is designed using AutoCAD design software and cut with a cutting plotter (Silhouette portrait 2, Silhouette, Spain).…”