Droplet based microfluidics is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field of research combining soft matter physics, biochemistry and microsystems engineering. Its applications range from fast analytical systems or the synthesis of advanced materials to protein crystallization and biological assays for living cells. Precise control of droplet volumes and reliable manipulation of individual droplets such as coalescence, mixing of their contents, and sorting in combination with fast analysis tools allow us to perform chemical reactions inside the droplets under defined conditions. In this paper, we will review available drop generation and manipulation techniques. The main focus of this review is not to be comprehensive and explain all techniques in great detail but to identify and shed light on similarities and underlying physical principles. Since geometry and wetting properties of the microfluidic channels are crucial factors for droplet generation, we also briefly describe typical device fabrication methods in droplet based microfluidics. Examples of applications and reaction schemes which rely on the discussed manipulation techniques are also presented, such as the fabrication of special materials and biophysical experiments.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0034-4885/75/1/016601/pdf

Droplet based microfluidics

Polymers have assumed the leading role as substrate materials for microfluidic devices in recent years. They offer a broad range of material parameters as well as material and surface chemical properties which enable microscopic design features that cannot be realised by any other class of materials. A similar range of fabrication technologies exist to generate microfluidic devices from these materials. This review will introduce the currently relevant microfabrication technologies such as replication methods like hot embossing, injection molding, microthermoforming and casting as well as photodefining methods like lithography and laser ablation for microfluidic systems and discuss academic and industrial considerations for their use. A section on back-end processing completes the overview.

Polymer microfabrication technologies for microfluidic systems

Through manipulating fluids using microfabricated channeland chamber structures, microfluidics is a powerful tool to realize high sensitive, high speed, high throughput, and low cost analysis. In addition, the method can establish a well-controlled microenivroment for manipulating fluids and particles. It also has rapid growing implementations in both sophisticated chemical/biological analysis and low-cost point-of-care assays. Some unique phenomena emerge at the micrometer scale. For example, reactions are completed in a shorter amount of time as the travel distances of mass and heat are relatively small; the flows are usually laminar; and the capillary effect becomes dominant owing to large surface-to-volume ratios. In the meantime, the surface properties of the device material are greatly amplified, which can lead to either unique functions or problems that we would not encounter at the macroscale. Also, each material inherently corresponds with specific microfabrication strategies and certain native p...

Materials for Microfluidic Chip Fabrication

Technology 4403 Microfabrication 4403 Assembly and Interfacing 4404 Optical Integration 4405 Flow Control 4405 Standard Operations 4406 Sample Preparation 4406 Injection and Separation 4407 Fluidic Reactors 4407 Particle and Cell Sorting 4409 Cell Trapping and Culture 4409 Applications 4410 Clinical Diagnostics 4410 Nucleic Acids 4411 Proteins 4412 Cell and Tissue Studies 4413 Environmental Monitoring 4414 Literature Cited 4414

Micro total analysis systems: latest achievements.

Microfluidics is an evolving scientific field with immense commercial potential: analytical applications, such as biochemical assay development, biochemical analysis and biosensors as well as chemical synthesis applications essentially require microfluidics for sample handling, treatment or readout. A number of techniques are available to create microfluidic structures today. On industrial scale replication techniques such as injection molding are the gold standard whereas academic research mostly focuses on replication by casting of soft elastomers such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Both of these techniques require the creation of a replication master thus creating the microfluidic structure only in the second process step—they can therefore be termed two-(or multi-)step manufacturing techniques. However, very often the number of pieces to be created of one specific microfluidic design is low, sometimes even as low as one. This raises the question if two-step manufacturing is an appropriate choice, particularly if short concept-to-chip times are required. In this case one-step manufacturing techniques that allow the direct creation of microfluidic structures from digital three-dimensional models are preferable. For these processes the number of parts per design is low (sometimes as low as one), but quick adaptation is possible by simply changing digital data. Suitable techniques include, among others, maskless or mask based stereolithography, fused deposition molding and 3D printing. This work intends to discuss the potential and application examples of such processes with a detailed view on applicable materials. It will also point out the advantages and the disadvantages of the respective technique. Furthermore this paper also includes a discussion about non-conventional manufacturing equipment and community projects that can be used in the production of microfluidic devices.

/pdf/let-there-be-chip-towards-rapid-prototyping-of-microfluidic-3yd1tiia54.pdf

Let there be chip—towards rapid prototyping of microfluidic devices: one-step manufacturing processes

This paper describes the fabrication method of an all SU-8 microfluidic device with built-in 3D fine micromesh structures. 3D micromesh structures were seamlessly integrated into the SU-8 sealed microchannel. To eliminate gap formation and filling of the microchannel, the built-in micromeshes in the microchannel were formed by photolithography after bonding the SU-8 top-cover layer and the SU-8 bottom substrate. The lift-off method, using lift-off resist as a sacrificial layer, was utilized to release the all SU-8 microfluidic chips. Monolithic SU-8 structures realize uniform physical and chemical surface properties required in microfluidic devices for practical use. As an application, fragmentation of a water droplet in an organic carrier formed by a two-phase flow was demonstrated.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0960-1317/16/11/010/pdf

An all SU-8 microfluidic chip with built-in 3D fine microstructures

We present fabrication methods of functional three-dimensional (3-D) micromesh structures coated with titanium dioxide (TiO2) microparticles and biocatalysts. The 3-D micromesh structures are useful for fabricating highly efficient microreactors because of their large surface area. In this study, TiO2-embedded SU-8 micromesh structures were formed by coating a TiO2/SU-8 mixture onto the surface of SU-8 micromesh structures. Biocatalyst-immobilized micromesh structures were also formed by coating a biocatalyst/photopolymer mixture onto SU-8 micromesh structures.

Fabrication of Catalyst-Functionalized Three-Dimensional Micromesh Structures

This paper presents the fabrication method of the functional 3-D micromesh structures coated with TiO2 particles and biocatalyst for high efficient microreactors The micromesh structures are useful as a micro reaction space because of their large surface area The TiO2-fixed SU-8 micromesh structures were formed by coating the SU-8/TiO2 mixture on the surface of the SU-8 micromeshes The biocatalyst-immobilized micromeshes were also formed by coating the biocatalyst/polymer mixture using UV irradiation through the concentric circle patterns

Satoshi Keino

Papers

An all SU-8 microfluidic chip with built-in 3D fine microstructures

Fabrication of Catalyst-Functionalized Three-Dimensional Micromesh Structures

Fabrication of the functional 3-D micromesh structures coated with TiO 2 particles and biocatalyst