Abstract

Constructing Microfluidic Analytical Systems from 3D-Printed Blocks with Integrated Functional Components

Noah Malmstadt, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California

The integration of functional components into microfluidic systems is necessary for building compact analytical devices. Optical detection and measurement, electromechanical fluid switching, active mixing, and magneto- and electrophoretic separations all require the integration of components on top of the underlying fluidic architecture. There has been significant work towards integrating such functional components by including them directly in the microfabrication process. This approach, however, leads to expensive fabrication workflows that are often limited to a narrow set of applications. To overcome these limits, we are designing a microfluidic architecture that is easily adaptable to a wide variety of applications. This architecture is based on 3D-printed elements that can be assembled into analytical devices. Functional components are integrated into these elements; the structures are printed to directly accommodate off-the-shelf components including photodiodes, heaters, sensors, and fiber optic fittings. We have demonstrated the utility of this approach by assembling a system capable of performing automated ELISA assays from 3D-printed blocks with integrated functional components.