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Abstract
The miniaturization of synthesis, analysis and screening experiments is an important step towards more environmentally friendly chemistry, statistically significant biology and fast and cost-effective medicinal assays. The facile generation of arbitrary 3D channel structures in polymers is pivotal to these techniques. Here we present a method for printing microchannels directly into viscous curable polymer matrices by injecting a surfactant into the uncured material via a steel capillary attached to a 3D printer. We demonstrate this technique using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) one of the most widely used polymers for the fabrication of, e. g. microfluidic chips. We show that this technique which we term Suspended Liquid Subtractive Lithography (SLSL) is well suited for printing actuators, T-junctions and complex three dimensional structures. The formation of truly arbitrary channels in 3D could revolutionize the fabrication of miniaturized chips and will find broad application in biology, chemistry and medicine.
Highlights
Today, most polymer systems for life science applications are manufactured using replication techniques, where a structure is created as the inverse of a master or mould
Suspended Liquid Subtractive Lithography (SLSL) is a simple one-step manufacturing process which allows for the creation of truly free-form 3D channel layouts in polymers within a few minutes of printing time
To achieve channel formation directly inside the curing viscous PDMS matrix the liquid deposited by SLSL has to meet the following criteria: (1) a density close to the density of cured PDMS to prevent sedimentation or floating, (2) low surface energy to prevent formation of droplets, (3) low viscosity to simplify extrusion through a capillary and (4) biocompatibility as well as low toxicity to allow for printing in a standard laboratory
Summary
Received: 20 January 2017 Accepted: 3 July 2017 Published: xx xx xxxx curable polymer matrices. We present a method for printing microchannels directly into viscous curable polymer matrices by injecting a surfactant into the uncured material via a steel capillary attached to a 3D printer We demonstrate this technique using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) one of the most widely used polymers for the fabrication of, e. We demonstrate a novel process we term Suspended Liquid Subtractive Lithography (SLSL) that allows for direct writing of three dimensional, circular channels into viscous curable polymer matrices. We demonstrate this process using PDMS as polymer of choice and a RepRap 3D printing system for dispensing a commercially available non-toxic surfactant directly into the curing polymer matrix generating freely definable three-dimensional channel structures. SLSL is a simple one-step manufacturing process which allows for the creation of truly free-form 3D channel layouts in polymers within a few minutes of printing time
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