Topographical Vacuum Sealing of 3D-Printed Multiplanar Microfluidic Structures.

ABSTRACT: We demonstrate a novel way of creating three-dimensional microfluidic channels capable of following complex topographies. To this end, substrates with open channels and different geometries were 3D-printed, and the open channels were consecutively closed with a thermoplastic using a low-resolution vacuum-forming approach. This process allows the sealing of channels that are located on the surface of complex multiplanar topographies, as the thermoplastic aligns with the surface-shape (the macrostructure) of the substrate, while the microchannels remain mostly free of thermoplastic as their small channel size resists thermoplastic inflow. This new process was analyzed for its capability to consistently close different substrate geometries, which showed reliable sealing of angles >90°. Furthe

SUBMITTER: Heidt B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8534087 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature