Microporous Membrane Research Articles

Valorization of a Levulinic Acid Platform through Electrospinning of Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Based Fibrous Membranes for In Vitro Modeling of Biological Barriers

In vitro models of biological barriers provide a reliable tool for investigating the physiopathological processes involved in the development of numerous diseases. Producing sustainable in vitro models obtained from solvents and biopolymers derived from industrial by-products add an important value to this underestimated source of valuable (bio)materials. This works aims at demonstrating the suitability of processing together solvents derived from levulinic acid (LA) (extracted from biomasses) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) (whose production is facilitated by LA) to produce electrospun membranes as proof-of-concept of a sustainable, engineered biological barrier fully derived from LA as the starting feedstock. The electrospinning process is initially optimized by identifying the most suitable conditions for obtaining self-supporting microporous membranes. In particular, LA-derived solvents (γ-valerolactone, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, methyl ethyl ketone, and methyl and ethyl levulinate), PHBV concentration, and electrospinning process parameters were investigated. Self-standing and hydrophobic PHBV mats with a micropore size in the range of 1–7 μm and an average elastic modulus of 75 MPa are successfully obtained by using methyl ethyl ketone/formic acid as solvent. Preliminary cell experiments demonstrate that the developed fibrous PHBV mats promote the formation of a confluent monolayer of epithelial cells after 48 h and therefore they can potentially be used to mimic biological epithelial barriers.

Microporous polymer adsorptive membranes with high processing capacity for molecular separation

Trade-off between permeability and nanometer-level selectivity is an inherent shortcoming of membrane-based separation of molecules, while most highly porous materials with high adsorption capacity lack solution processability and stability for achieving adsorption-based molecule separation. We hereby report a hydrophilic amidoxime modified polymer of intrinsic microporosity (AOPIM-1) as a membrane adsorption material to selectively adsorb and separate small organic molecules from water with ultrahigh processing capacity. The membrane adsorption capacity for Rhodamine B reaches 26.114 g m−2, 10–1000 times higher than previously reported adsorptive membranes. Meanwhile, the membrane achieves >99.9% removal of various nano-sized organic molecules with water flux 2 orders of magnitude higher than typical pressure-driven membranes of similar rejections. This work confirms the feasibility of microporous polymers for membrane adsorption with high capacity, and provides the possibility of adsorptive membranes for molecular separation.

Designing triple-layer superhydrophobic/hydrophobic/hydrophilic nanofibrous membrane via electrohydrodynamic technique for enhanced anti-fouling and anti-wetting in wastewater treatment by membrane distillation

Developing high-performance membranes for membrane distillation (MD) to treat highly saline industrial wastewater is of great significance. In this work, a superhydrophobic/hydrophobic/hydrophilic triple-layer membrane combining an electrosprayed superhydrophobic top layer, an electrospun hydrophobic nanofibrous intermediate layer and a hydrophilic microporous membrane substrate was fabricated by using electrohydrodynamic techniques. The top superhydrophobic surface possesses a unique surface morphology composing of hydrophobic SiO2-polymer microbeads with nanoscaled protrusions and interconnected thin nanofibers, which contributed to the enhanced water flux for desalination in direct contact MD. By tuning the concentrations of hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles and polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene for electrospraying the top layer, the triple-layer membrane showed both enhanced anti-fouling and anti-wetting properties due to the reduced liquid-solid contact area and stable Cassie-Baxter state. The triple-layer membrane exhibited stable MD performances when using real seawater and industrial flue gas desulfurization wastewater as the feed solutions, while no obvious fouling and wetting being observed even at 60% water recovery. This study provides an effective approach for fabricating a high-performance triple-layer superhydrophobic/hydrophobic/hydrophilic membrane for potential practical MD applications for industrial wastewater treatment.

Fabrication and Investigation of PE-SiO2@PZS Composite Separator for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Commercial polyolefin separators exhibit problems including shrinkage under high temperatures and poor electrolyte wettability and uptake, resulting in low ionic conductivity and safety problems. In this work, core–shell silica-polyphosphazene nanoparticles (SiO2@PZS) with different PZS layer thicknesses were synthesized and coated onto both sides of polyethylene (PE) microporous membranes to prepare composite membranes. Compared to pure silica-coated membranes and PE membranes, the PE-SiO2@PZS composite membrane had higher ionic conductivity. With the increase in the SiO2@PZS shell thickness, the electrolyte uptake, ionic conductivity and discharge capacity gradually increased. The discharge capacity of the PE-SiO2@PZS composite membrane at 8 C rate was 129 mAh/g, which was higher than the values of 107 mAh/g for the PE-SiO2 composite membrane and 104 mAh/g for the PE membrane.

Process Scale‐Up of an Energy‐Efficient Membrane Solvent Extraction Process for Rare Earth Recycling from Electronic Wastes

This study reports the process scale‐up and long‐term performance of an energy‐efficient and cost‐effective membrane solvent extraction (MSX) process for separation and recovery of high purity rare earth oxides (REOs) from scrap permanent magnets (SPMs). The rare earth elements (REEs), including dysprosium, neodymium, and praseodymium, are recovered from SPMs using a neutral extractant, tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) embedded in a microporous polypropylene hollow fiber membrane module. The MSX process performance is demonstrated with bench scale module with membrane surface area of 1.4 m2 to industrial scale modules with membrane surface area of up to 20 m2 to enable the processing of up to 1 ton month−1 of SPMs. The purity and the yield of the recovered REOs are >99.5 wt% and >95%, respectively. The average extraction rate of REOs is >10 g m−2 hr−1. A skid of MSX system is assembled with a membrane area of 40 m2. The MSX skid successfully recovers REOs with a capacity of 300 kg REOs/month. Finally, it is determined that the organic phase containing the extractant maintains its performance up to 250 h. The results suggest that the MSX process is an economically viable and environmentally friendly process for separation and recovery of REOs from electronic wastes.

Facile synthesis of porphyrin-based PAF membrane for hydrogen purification

Available online Hydrogen (H2) is a promising clean energy source and its separation and purification from fossil fuels and natural gas is of great significance. Microporous continuous membrane separation is an efficient and energy-saving separation method, in which membranes with a pore size less than 1 nm can better achieve size-dependent sieving of H2. Porous aromatic framework (PAF) continuous membranes are expected to exhibit high-efficiency gas separation due to their highly connected channels as well as structural stability and channel design. Synthesis of continuous PAF membranes using facile methods remains a challenge. Here, we synthesized ultrathin continuous porphyrin-based PAF (ppPAF) membrane using an interfacial polymerization approach. The design introduced rigid porphyrin groups, resulting in a pore size of 0.7 nm for the ppPAF membrane. The ppPAF membrane showed a H2 permeance of 709.2 gas permeation units (GPU), with a H2/CO2 selectivity of 78.8. The ppPAF membrane showed a H2/CH4 selectivity of 93.3, with a H2 permeance of 624.8GPU. Our results provide new ideas for the synthesis of continuous PAF films.

Slippery Mechanism for Enhancing Separation and Anti-fouling of the Superhydrophobic Membrane in a Water-in-Oil Emulsion: Evaluating Water Adhesion of the Membrane Surface.

Water removal from water-in-oil emulsions with superhydrophobic microporous membranes is an important industrial process, where the interface property between the membrane and feed becomes critical. Here, superhydrophobic isotactic polypropylene (iPP) microporous membranes with the "lotus effect" and "rose-petal effect" were prepared via utilizing micromolding phase separation, where the former surface exhibited a water contact angle of 153° and a sliding angle of 3.2°, while the latter surface exhibited a water contact angle of 151° and adhesive characteristics. Surface topography and wettability analysis revealed that surface hydrophobicity and water adhesion could be improved by reducing the periodic distance and diameter and increasing the height of the micron-scale structure. When treating both water-in-oil emulsions and water-in-oil emulsions containing BSA pollutants, the iPP membrane with the "lotus effect" was superior to that with the "rose-petal effect" in terms of oil permeate flux, separation efficiency, anti-fouling ability, and recyclability (20 cycles). To explain this phenomenon, a "slippery" mechanism was introduced that correlated the sliding angle to the slippery surface of the iPP membrane with the "lotus effect" and its anti-water adhesion property. This work proposed a theoretical platform for investigating the effect of water adhesion on superhydrophobic membranes in terms of oil-water separation efficiency and anti-fouling ability, thereby providing a definite basis for preparing superhydrophobic membranes with efficient separation and fouling resistance capabilities.

Preparation of the hydrophilic coating layer on polypropylene microporous membrane surface by dip-coating the hydrophilic agent

Preparation of the hydrophilic coating layer on polypropylene microporous membrane surface by dip-coating the hydrophilic agent

Plasma Polymerized Coatings on Hollow Fiber Membranes-Applications and Their Aging Characteristics in Different Media.

In the past 30 years, plasma polymerization has emerged as a versatile technique for depositing ultrathin nanocoating on a variety of substrates for applications that range from providing lubricity to the substrate, protection from harsh environments, promoting adhesion, surface modification to applications of coating in ultrafiltration and gas separation membranes. Applications in the field of volatile organic compound (VOC) recovery and membrane distillation have also gained importance in recent years. Most of these applications use silicone and fluorosilicone-based plasma polymers that provide versatility, good separation characteristics, and long-term stability to the membrane. However, plasma polymers are known to age with time. The current study focuses on the aging behavior of silicone and fluorosilicone plasma polymers in different environments that include air, ionized air, heat, aqueous solutions of inorganic chemicals, as well as harsh solvents such as hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), and toluene. Membrane gas permeance and gas selectivity were used to quantitatively measure the aging behavior of the coatings on gas separation membranes, while water and VOC flux were used to measure the effect of aging for membranes designed for membrane distillation and VOC separation. It was found that while all plasma polymers of this study showed changes in membrane gas permeance on exposure to air, they fundamentally retained their membrane separation characteristics in all the studied environments. Significant changes in gas permeability characteristics were observed on exposure of the membranes to organic solvents like dichloromethane, 2-propanol, hexane, and toluene, which are attributed to dimensional changes in the hollow fiber substrate rather than changes in plasma polymer characteristics. Ionized air was also found to have a significant effect on the gas permeability characteristic of the membranes, reducing the gas permeance by as much as 50% in some cases. This is attributed to accelerated oxidation and crosslinking of the polymer in ionized air. XPS studies showed an increase in the oxygen content of the polymer on aging. Differences were found in the aging behavior of polymer coatings made from different monomers with long-chain monomers such as hexamethyltrisiloxane offering more stable coatings. The cross-link density of the polymer also influenced the aging behavior, with the more cross-linked polymer showing a lesser influence on aging in a chemical environment. No significant effect of aging was found on applications of these polymer coatings in the field of membrane distillation, pervaporation, and VOC removal, and a stable performance was observed over a long period of time. It was also noted that the selection of co-monomers played a significant role in membrane distillation, with polymers forming fluoro co-monomers giving better results. The current study also demonstrated the usefulness of plasma polymers in controlling the pore size of microporous membranes that can find useful applications in bio-filtration and VOC recovery.

Feasibility assessment of bioethanol production from humic acid-assisted alkaline pretreated Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) followed by downstream enrichment using direct contact membrane distillation

The effective fractionation of structural components of abundantly available lignocellulosic biomass is essential to unlock its full biorefinery potential. In this study, the feasibility of humic acid on the pretreatment of Kentucky bluegrass biomass in alkaline condition was assessed to separate 70.1% lignin and hydrolyzable biocomponents. The humic acid-assisted delignification followed by enzymatic saccharification yielded 0.55 g/g of reducing sugars from 7.5% (w/v) pretreated biomass loading and 16 FPU/g of cellulase. Yeast fermentation of the biomass hydrolysate produced 76.6% (w/w) ethanol, which was subsequently separated and concentrated using direct contact membrane distillation. The hydrophobic microporous flat-sheet membrane housed in a rectangular-shaped crossflow module and counter-current mode of flow of the feed (hot) and distillate (cold) streams yielded a flux of 11.6 kg EtOH/m2/24 h. A modular, compact, flexible, and eco-friendly membrane-integrated hybrid approach is used for the first time to effectively valorize Kentucky bluegrass biomass for sustainable production of biofuel.

Highly efficient removal of PM and VOCs from air by a self-supporting bifunctional conjugated microporous polymers membrane

Efficient removal of pollutants in the atmosphere is of great significance to human health and environmental restoration. Herein, we report the preparation of a self-supporting conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) membrane (SS-CMPs-M) synthesized by Sonogashira-Hagihara (S–H) cross-coupling reaction using KBr tables as a template. The intrinsic hydrophobic chemical composition made it good hydrophobicity and lipophilicity, e.g., the water contact angles (WCA) for SS-CMPs-M were measured to be 113°. The aromatic building blocks of CMPs make SS-CMPs-M exceptionally stable physicochemical properties, i.e., the membrane exists stably below 300 °C, and they were insoluble in organic solvents. Additionally, the as-resulted SS-CMPs-M-1 which also presents mesoporous architecture shows effectively captures performance for particulate matter (PM) with different particle sizes in the air, the removal efficiency of PM2.5 and PM10 are 99.7% and 99.9%, respectively. For volatile organic compounds (VOCs) vapor in the air, the SS-CMPs-M-1 shows an excellent purification effect, the removal efficiency of formaldehyde in the simulated air is above 97%, and the AQI value of the filtered gas (>500) is reduced to 50. Taking advantage of its simple and scalable manufacture, the SS-CMPs-M-1 may have great potential as an advanced membrane for the separation and elimination of PM in different environments.

High performance polyamide TFC reverse osmosis membrane fabricated on co-deposition hydrophilic modified polyethylene substrate

The separation performance of polyamide (PA) thin film composite (TFC) membrane is critically influenced by the substrates. Numerical models and experimental studies suggest that substrates with high porosity comprising small pores can effectively improve membrane performance. Here we report that a commercial polyethylene (PE) micro-porous membrane with high porosity was chosen as substrate for fabricating PA TFC membrane. The PE substrate was modified by co-depositing the copolymers of gallic acid and γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to improve its bulk hydrophilicity. The porosity, pore size, morphology and chemical properties of the modified PE substrates were characterized. The resultant PA TFC-PE membrane had a favorable water permeance of 2.33 ± 0.06 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 as well as a high NaCl rejection of 99.0 ± 0.4 % because of the suitable porosity, pore size and hydrophilicity for interfacial polymerization reaction. Our work is expected to provide an efficient way for the modification of hydrophobic porous membrane for fabricating PA TFC membrane.

Conjugated microporous polymer membranes for light-gated ion transport.

Inspired by the light-gated ion channels in cell membranes that play important roles in many biological activities, herein, we developed an artificial light-gated ion channel membrane out of conjugated microporous polymers. Through bottom-up design of the monomer molecular structure and by the electropolymerization method, the membrane pore size and thickness were precisely controlled on the molecular level. The obtained membrane exhibited uniform pore size and highly sensitive light-switchable response. The photoisomerization of the polymer chain resulted in a reversible “on and off” light control over the pore size and subsequently led to light-gated ion transport across the membrane for a series of ions including hydrogen, potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, and aluminum ions.

Explorations of complex thermally induced phase separation (C-TIPS) method for manufacturing novel diphenyl ether polysulfate flat microporous membranes

A complex thermally induced phase separation (C-TIPS) method combining the advantages of non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) and thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) was proposed to prepare novel diphenyl ether polysulfate (De-PSE) flat membranes, using a good solvent Dimethyl acetamide (DMAC) and a neutral solvent Triethyl phosphate (TEP) as mixed solvents and a non-solvent Polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) as additive. The competition between NIPS and TIPS processes was regulated by adjusting the composition and temperature of quenching bath, so as to achieve fine tuning of membrane surface pore size, morphology, as well as permeability and mechanical property. The membrane cross section exhibited the coexistence of bi-continuous and finger-like pore structures. Compared with membranes prepared by the mainstream NIPS method, the pure water flux improved from 187.62 to 945.27 L m−2 h−1·bar−1 with a mean pore size increased from 30 nm to 195 nm, while the tensile strength enhanced from 2.31 to 5.89 MPa. This work demonstrated a simple strategy to improve the comprehensive performances of De-PSE membranes. Coupled with the strong acid-alkali resistance of the membrane, it greatly expanded the membrane application prospect, especially in the treatment of high polymer textile and papermaking wastewater with large volumes and strong alkalinity.

Assembling covalent organic framework membranes via phase switching for ultrafast molecular transport

Fabrication of covalent organic framework (COF) membranes for molecular transport has excited highly pragmatic interest as a low energy and cost-effective route for molecular separations. However, currently, most COF membranes are assembled via a one-step procedure in liquid phase(s) by concurrent polymerization and crystallization, which are often accompanied by a loosely packed and less ordered structure. Herein, we propose a two-step procedure via a phase switching strategy, which decouples the polymerization process and the crystallization process to assemble compact and highly crystalline COF membranes. In the pre-assembly step, the mixed monomer solution is casted into a pristine membrane in the liquid phase, along with the completion of polymerization process. In the assembly step, the pristine membrane is transformed into a COF membrane in the vapour phase of solvent and catalyst, along with the completion of crystallization process. Owing to the compact and highly crystalline structure, the resultant COF membranes exhibit an unprecedented permeance (water ≈ 403 L m−2 bar−1 h−1 and acetonitrile ≈ 519 L m−2 bar−1 h−1). Our two-step procedure via phase switching strategy can open up a new avenue to the fabrication of advanced organic crystalline microporous membranes.

Microporous Formation Mechanism of Biaxial Stretching PA6/PP Membranes with High Porosity and Uniform Pore Size Distribution.

The low porosity and wide pore size distribution of biaxial stretching PP microporous membranes continue to be the primary impediments to their industrial application. To solve this problem, there is a critical and urgent need to study the micropore-forming mechanism of PP membranes. In this research, the interfacial micropore formation mechanism of PA6/PP membranes during biaxial stretching was investigated. PA6/PP membranes containing spherical PA6 and fibrillar PA6 were found to exhibit different interfacial micropore formation mechanisms. Numerous micropores were generated in the PA6/PP membranes, containing PA6 spherical particles via the interface separation between the PP matrix and PA6 spherical particles during longitudinal stretching. Subsequent transverse stretching further expanded the two-phase interface, promoting the breakdown and fibrosis of the PP matrix and forming a spider-web-like microporous structure centered on spherical PA6 particles. In PA6/PP membranes with PA6 fibers, fewer micropores were generated during longitudinal stretching, but the subsequent transverse stretching violently separated the PA6 fibers, resulting in a dense fiber network composed of PA6 fibers interwoven with PP fibers. Crucially, the PA6/PP biaxial stretching of microporous membranes presented an optimized pore structure, higher porosity, narrower pore size distribution, and better permeability than β-PP membranes. Furthermore, this study explored a new approach to the fabrication of high-performance PA6/PP microporous membranes, with good prospects for potential industrial application.

Experimental investigation and numerical simulation for structural evolution and stress distribution during the stretching process

AbstractIn the preparation of polyethylene (PE) microporous membrane, the stretching process of PE/liquid paraffin (LP) blend is of great significance for improving the mechanical properties and optimizing the pore size and its distribution. In this study, we have adopted a method that combines experimental investigation and numerical simulation to explore crystal structure transformation and residual stress distribution of PE matrix during the stretching process. First of all, the X‐ray diffraction, small‐angle X‐ray scattering test, and tensile strength test are used to analyze these PE/LP blend samples that are processed at different stretching temperatures (110°C, 115°C, 120°C, 125°C) and different stretching ratios (2 × 2, 3 × 3, 4 × 4, 5 × 5). It is found that a higher temperature or larger ratio is beneficial for crystallizing of PE long chains and affecting the tension strength. After the extraction process, the obtained PE microporous membranes have more uniform pore size distribution and an increased pore diameter according to the results of scanning electron microscopy and porosity test. It is attributed to the fact that residual stress is more easily stored in the amorphous region of PE microporous membrane. PE microporous membranes can have higher crystallinity and well‐dispersed crystal region by controlling a matched temperature and ratio. It is inspired for optimizing the technological parameters in industrial production.

Evaluating the Occurrence of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in Environmental Waters by Agglomeration with Alkylated Ferroferric Oxide Followed by Micropore Membrane Filtration Collection and Py-GC/MS Analysis.

Although nanoplastics (NPs) are recognized as emerging anthropogenic particulate pollutants, the occurrence of NPs in the environment is rarely reported, partly due to the lack of sensitive methods for the concentration and detection of NPs. Herein, we present an efficient method for enriching NPs of different compositions and various sizes. Alkylated ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) particles were prepared as adsorbents for highly efficient capture of NPs in environmental waters, and the formed large Fe3O4-NP agglomerates were separated by membrane filtration. Detection limits of 0.02-0.03 μg/L were obtained for polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) NPs by detection with pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). When analyzing real water samples from different sources, it is remarkable that PS NPs were detected in 11 out of 15 samples with concentrations ranging from <0.07 to 0.73 μg/L, while PMMA were not detected. The wide detection of PS NPs in our study confirms the previous speculation that NPs may be ubiquitous in the environmental waters. The accurate quantification of PS NPs in environmental waters make it possible to monitor the pollution status of NPs in aquatic systems and evaluate their potential risks.

Biological Nitrogen Removal by A Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor: An Attempt to Treat Urine Wastewater with High Sustainability

Human urine contains the majority of nutrients in domestic wastewater, therefore treatment of source-separated urine by sustainable methods would become a low-cost and eco-friendly alternative to conventional urban wastewater treatment system. In this work, a waste stream composed of real urine and hygiene wastewater was prepared, which had characteristic of high nitrogen content and low available C/N ratio. Membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) is an emerging technology utilizing microporous or nonporous aeration membranes as the substrate for biofilm attachment, and this configuration could promote the growth of autotrophic nitrifying bacteria and the efficiency of nitrogen removal process. The waste stream was treated with a home-made MABR system to remove the organic carbon and nitrogen pollutants. Over a four-month operation period with the incoming waste stream concentration progressively elevated, the system achieved 90-95% removal of TOC, 50-73% oxidation of ammonium-nitrogen, and 24-63% removal of total nitrogen from the influent, without external carbon source input. The results indicated that MABR has the potential for urine wastewater treatment with low consumption in energy and materials.

Democratizing cancer innovation by reducing cost and complexity of cancer models.

e13503 Background: Despite advances in high-throughput screening, combinatorial chemistry, databanks, and computational models, drug R&amp;D remains expensive and slow, often over a decade. It is estimated that pre-human costs are &gt; 30% of cost of approved drugs: $1.5 billion of $3.9 billion. Another study estimates that pharma spends $34.4 billion annually on preclinical research. However, 90% of drugs effective in pre-human studies fail in human trials. A reason for this dissonance is the inadequacy of current assays and methods for evaluating efficacy of new treatments during preclinical evaluation. Cell culture dishes fail to recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment, making cells far from physiologically relevant. Animal models, though physiologically relevant, are limited indicators of success in subsequent human trials. Predicting which preclinical formulations will most likely succeed in clinical trials, by matching them against patient biopsy specimens, could reduce cost and time-to-market of new therapeutics. Objective: The aim of this study is to develop an ex vivo cancer model that can predict clinical success of preclinical formulations by screening efficacy on live patient biopsy tissue. Methods: Softlithography with SU-8 photoresist and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used to fabricate microporous thin membranes with uniform porosity. Electrospinning with collagen and Nylon was used for fabricating nanofibrous membranes with well-interconnected, non-woven, non-uniform porosity. Multicellular biomimetic healthy and tumorous microtissue was cultured with pancreatic and colorectal cell lines. Permeability assays were used to validate barrier and transport functions, scanning electron microscopy was used to validate morphology, and fluorescent and confocal microscopy were used to observe migration, invasion, and metastasis. Results: Permeability assay confirmed transport and barrier functions wherein small molecules (10 kDa) diffused while larger molecules (500 kDa) were prevented from flowing. Migration and invasion were observed when microfluidic circuits connected S2VP10-Luc “tumorous” tissue upstream from “healthy” vascular and muscle tissue. Moreover, subpopulations of invasive cells showed a more aggressive proliferation profile compared to subpopulations of the same cell-line cancer cells that remained at the original “tumorous” site. Conclusions: Microfluidic ex vivo cancer models have the potential to transform cancer treatment from bench – as clinical trial simulation tools to narrow down lead and backup candidates – to bedside – as predictive personalized companion diagnostics to guide treatment strategy – along the drug discovery to market roadmap for novel therapeutic agents.