Abstract
We present a simple, facile method to micropattern planar metal electrodes defined by the geometry of a microfluidic channel network template. By introducing aqueous solutions of metal into reversibly adhered PDMS devices by desiccation instead of flow, we are able to produce difficult to pattern “dead end” or discontinuous features with ease. We characterize electrodes fabricated using this method and perform electrical lysis of mammalian cancer cells and demonstrate their use as part of an antibody capture assay for GFP. Cell lysis in microwell arrays is achieved using the electrodes and the protein released is detected using an antibody microarray. We show how the template channels used as part of the workflow for patterning the electrodes may be produced using photolithography-free methods, such as laser micromachining and PDMS master moulding, and demonstrate how the use of an immiscible phase may be employed to create electrode spacings on the order of 25–50 μm, that overcome the current resolution limits of such methods. This work demonstrates how the rapid prototyping of electrodes for use in total analysis systems can be achieved on the bench with little or no need for centralized facilities.
Highlights
Microfluidics have been established as an essential analytical platform in chemistry
Scalable and it allows the electrode layer to be incorporated into the device both before and after the incorporation of the mechanical components such as the microfluidic channels
We have demonstrated a simple, facile and rapid method to fabricate planar electrodes for use in microfluidic devices
Summary
Microfluidics have been established as an essential analytical platform in chemistry. A variety of on-chip features and strategies have been reported for bioanalytical applications by enabling on-chip manipulation and analyses of biologically relevant fluids and objects, such as cells. These approaches may be optical[14], electrical[15], magnetic[16] or acoustic[17] in addition to hydrodynamic and valve based approaches from the geometry inherent to the design of the channels themselves[18,19]. Depending on the metal, patterning may be achieved by lift-off, wet-etching or dry-etching These techniques are able to produce high resolution features with precise layer thickness and uniformity, they are complex, require expensive specialised equipment and access to cleanroom facilities. The analytical capabilities of microfluidic devices[22,23] and as such efforts to simplify their fabrication amenable to low-cost rapid prototyping are being made[24]
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