Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices for Emulsion Formation by Microstereolithography |
| |
Authors: | Max J Mnnel Elif Baysak Julian Thiele |
| |
Institution: | Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Str. 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany; (M.J.M.); (E.B.) |
| |
Abstract: | Droplet microfluidics—the art and science of forming droplets—has been revolutionary for high-throughput screening, directed evolution, single-cell sequencing, and material design. However, traditional fabrication techniques for microfluidic devices suffer from several disadvantages, including multistep processing, expensive facilities, and limited three-dimensional (3D) design flexibility. High-resolution additive manufacturing—and in particular, projection micro-stereolithography (PµSL)—provides a promising path for overcoming these drawbacks. Similar to polydimethylsiloxane-based microfluidics 20 years ago, 3D printing methods, such as PµSL, have provided a path toward a new era of microfluidic device design. PµSL greatly simplifies the device fabrication process, especially the access to truly 3D geometries, is cost-effective, and it enables multimaterial processing. In this review, we discuss both the basics and recent innovations in PµSL; the material basis with emphasis on custom-made photopolymer formulations; multimaterial 3D printing; and, 3D-printed microfluidic devices for emulsion formation as our focus application. Our goal is to support researchers in setting up their own PµSL system to fabricate tailor-made microfluidics. |
| |
Keywords: | projection micro-stereolithography microfluidics droplets emulsions three-dimensional 3D printing additive manufacturing |
|
|