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High-resolution low-cost LCD 3D printing for microfluidics and organ-on-a-chip devices
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DOI：10.1039/d3lc01125a.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
The fabrication of microfluidic devices has progressed from cleanroom manufacturing to replica molding in polymers, and more recently to direct manufacturing by subtractive (e.g., laser machining) and additive (e.g., 3D printing) techniques, notably digital light processing (DLP) photopolymerization. However, many methods require technical expertise and DLP 3D printers remain expensive at a cost similar to 15-30 K USD with similar to 8 M pixels that are 25-40 mu m in size. Here, we introduce (i) the use of low-cost (similar to 150-600 USD) liquid crystal display (LCD) photopolymerization 3D printing with similar to 8-58 M pixels that are 18-35 mu m in size for direct microfluidic device fabrication, and (ii) a poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate-based ink developed for LCD 3D printing (PLInk). We optimized PLInk for high resolution, fast 3D printing and biocompatibility while considering the illumination inhomogeneity and low power density of LCD 3D printers. We made lateral features as small as 75 mu m, 22 mu m-thick embedded membranes, and circular channels with a 110 mu m radius. We 3D printed microfluidic devices previously manufactured by other methods, including an embedded 3D micromixer, a membrane microvalve, and an autonomous capillaric circuit (CC) deployed for interferon-gamma detection with excellent performance (limit of detection: 12 pg mL-1, CV: 6.8%). We made PLInk-based organ-on-a-chip devices in 384-well plate format and produced 3420 individual devices within an 8 h print run. We used the devices to co-culture two spheroids separated by a vascular barrier over 5 days and observed endothelial sprouting, cellular reorganization, and migration. LCD 3D printing together with tailored inks pave the way for democratizing access to high-resolution manufacturing of ready-to-use microfluidic and organ-on-a-chip devices by anyone, anywhere. Microfluidic and organ-on-a-chip device fabrication via low-cost LCD photopolymerization 3D printing using a custom photoink for high-resolution, fast, and throughput direct manufacturing.
Keywords:
FABRICATION
FUTURE