Versatile and Low-Cost Fabrication of Modular Lock-and-Key Microfluidics for Integrated Connector Mixer Using a Stereolithography 3D Printing
Isa Anshori,
Vincent Lukito,
Rafita Adhawiyah,
Delpita Putri,
Suksmandhira Harimurti,
Tati Latifah Erawati Rajab,
Arfat Pradana,
Mohammad Akbar,
Mas Rizky Anggun Adipurna Syamsunarno,
Murni Handayani,
Agnes Purwidyantri,
Briliant Adhi Prabowo
Affiliations
Isa Anshori
Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Vincent Lukito
Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Rafita Adhawiyah
Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Delpita Putri
Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Suksmandhira Harimurti
Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Tati Latifah Erawati Rajab
Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Arfat Pradana
Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology (RCNN), Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Mohammad Akbar
Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran and Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung 40161, Indonesia
Mas Rizky Anggun Adipurna Syamsunarno
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung 45363, Indonesia
Murni Handayani
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Tangerang Selatan 15314, Indonesia
Agnes Purwidyantri
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Tangerang Selatan 15314, Indonesia
Briliant Adhi Prabowo
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Tangerang Selatan 15314, Indonesia
We present a low-cost and simple method to fabricate a novel lock-and-key mixer microfluidics using an economic stereolithography (SLA) three-dimensional (3D) printer, which costs less than USD 400 for the investment. The proposed study is promising for a high throughput fabrication module, typically limited by conventional microfluidics fabrications, such as photolithography and polymer-casting methods. We demonstrate the novel modular lock-and-key mixer for the connector and its chamber modules with optimized parameters, such as exposure condition and printing orientation. In addition, the optimization of post-processing was performed to investigate the reliability of the fabricated hollow structures, which are fundamental to creating a fluidic channel or chamber. We found out that by using an inexpensive 3D printer, the fabricated resolution can be pushed down to 850 µm and 550 µm size for squared- and circled-shapes, respectively, by the gradual hollow structure, applying vertical printing orientation. These strategies opened up the possibility of developing straightforward microfluidics platforms that could replace conventional microfluidics mold fabrication methods, such as photolithography and milling, which are costly and time consuming. Considerably cheap commercial resin and its tiny volume employed for a single printing procedure significantly cut down the estimated fabrication cost to less than 50 cents USD/module. The simulation study unravels the prominent properties of the fabricated devices for biological fluid mixers, such as PBS, urine and plasma blood. This study is eminently prospective toward microfluidics application in clinical biosensing, where disposable, low-cost, high-throughput, and reproducible chips are highly required.
