Fabrication of unconventional inertial microfluidic channels using wax 3D printing.

Raoufi, MA; Razavi Bazaz, S; Niazmand, H; Rouhi, O; Asadnia, M; Razmjou, A; Ebrahimi Warkiani, M

Fabrication of unconventional inertial microfluidic channels using wax 3D printing.

Raoufi, MA Razavi Bazaz, S

Niazmand, H Rouhi, O Asadnia, M

Razmjou, A

Ebrahimi Warkiani, M

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Soft Matter, 2020, 16 (10), pp. 2448 - 2459
Issue Date:: 2020-03-11

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Raoufi, MA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Razavi Bazaz, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6419-3361	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Niazmand, H	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Rouhi, O	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Asadnia, M https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3157-7796	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Razmjou, A https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3554-5129	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Ebrahimi Warkiani, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4184-1944	en_US
dc.date.available	2021-01-27T18:02:36Z
dc.date.issued	2020-03-11	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Soft Matter, 2020, 16 (10), pp. 2448 - 2459	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/138410
dc.description.abstract	Inertial microfluidics has emerged over the past decade as a powerful tool to accurately control cells and microparticles for diverse biological and medical applications. Many approaches have been proposed to date in order to increase the efficiency and accuracy of inertial microfluidic systems. However, the effects of channel cross-section and solution properties (Newtonian or non-Newtonian) have not been fully explored, primarily due to limitations in current microfabrication methods. In this study, we overcome many of these limitations using wax 3D printing technology and soft lithography through a novel workflow, which eliminates the need for the use of silicon lithography and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) bonding. We have shown that by adding dummy structures to reinforce the main channels, optimizing the gap between the dummy and main structures, and dissolving the support wax on a PDMS slab to minimize the additional handling steps, one can make various non-conventional microchannels. These substantially improve upon previous wax printed microfluidic devices where the working area falls into the realm of macrofluidics rather than microfluidics. Results revealed a surface roughness of 1.75 μm for the printed channels, which does not affect the performance of inertial microfluidic devices used in this study. Channels with complex cross-sections were fabricated and then analyzed to investigate the effects of viscoelasticity and superposition on the lateral migration of the particles. Finally, as a proof of concept, microcarriers were separated from human mesenchymal stem cells using an optimized channel with maximum cell-holding capacity, demonstrating the suitability of these microchannels in the bioprocessing industry.	en_US
dc.language	eng	en_US
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP170103704
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180103003
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/GNT1143377
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1143377
dc.relation.ispartof	Soft Matter	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1039/c9sm02067e	en_US
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Chemical Physics	en_US
dc.title	Fabrication of unconventional inertial microfluidic channels using wax 3D printing.	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	10	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	16	en_US
utslib.location.activity	England	en_US
utslib.for	02 Physical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	09 Engineering	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Biomedical Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHT - Health Technologies
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - IBMD - Initiative for Biomedical Devices
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.issue	10	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	16	en_US

Abstract:

Inertial microfluidics has emerged over the past decade as a powerful tool to accurately control cells and microparticles for diverse biological and medical applications. Many approaches have been proposed to date in order to increase the efficiency and accuracy of inertial microfluidic systems. However, the effects of channel cross-section and solution properties (Newtonian or non-Newtonian) have not been fully explored, primarily due to limitations in current microfabrication methods. In this study, we overcome many of these limitations using wax 3D printing technology and soft lithography through a novel workflow, which eliminates the need for the use of silicon lithography and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) bonding. We have shown that by adding dummy structures to reinforce the main channels, optimizing the gap between the dummy and main structures, and dissolving the support wax on a PDMS slab to minimize the additional handling steps, one can make various non-conventional microchannels. These substantially improve upon previous wax printed microfluidic devices where the working area falls into the realm of macrofluidics rather than microfluidics. Results revealed a surface roughness of 1.75 μm for the printed channels, which does not affect the performance of inertial microfluidic devices used in this study. Channels with complex cross-sections were fabricated and then analyzed to investigate the effects of viscoelasticity and superposition on the lateral migration of the particles. Finally, as a proof of concept, microcarriers were separated from human mesenchymal stem cells using an optimized channel with maximum cell-holding capacity, demonstrating the suitability of these microchannels in the bioprocessing industry.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/138410