Beyond Wax Printing: Fabrication of Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices Using Commercially Available Printers
Andres Martinez,
Associate Professor,
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Paper-based microfluidic devices, also known as microPADs, are a promising platform for the development of point-of-care diagnostic devices. Like conventional microfluidic devices, microPADs can manipulate and analyze small volumes of fluids. Paper-based devices are also portable, inexpensive to fabricate, simple to operate, and can complete an assay without relying on electrical power or supporting equipment. To fabricate paper-based devices, hydrophobic inks are patterned onto sheets of paper to create hydrophobic barriers that define hydrophilic channels and test zones. One of the simplest and most popular methods of fabricating microPADs is known as wax printing, where a solid ink printer is used to pattern wax on paper. Unfortunately, solid ink printers were discontinued in 2016 and are no longer available commercially. This talk will describe our efforts to develop alternative methods of fabricating paper-based microfluidic devices using commercially available printers that retain the conveniences of wax printing.
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