Time-efficient fabrication method for 3D-printed microfluidic devices

Abstract

Recent developments in 3D-printing technology have provided a time-efficient and inexpensive alternative to the fabrication of microfluidic devices. At present, 3D-printed microfluidic systems face the challenges of post-processing, non-transparency, and being time consuming, limiting their practical application. In this study, a time-efficient and inexpensive fabrication method was developed for 3D-printed microfluidic devices. The material for 3D-printed microfluidic chips is Dowsil 732, which is used as a sealant or encapsulant in various industries. The curing time and surface hydrophobicity of the materials were evaluated. The results indicated that the surface of Dowsil 732 is hydrophilic. An optimization model of the direct ink writing method is proposed to establish a time-efficient and accurate fabrication method for microfluidic devices. The results indicate that the optimization model can effectively describe the change trend between printing speed, printing pressure, and channel wall accuracy, and the model accuracy rate exceeds 95%. Three examples—a micromixer, concentration gradient generator, and droplet generator—were printed to demonstrate the functionality and feasibility of the fabrication method.