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Huang S, Wu J, Zheng L, Long Y, Chen J, Li J, Dai B, Lin F, Zhuang S, Zhang D. 3D free-assembly modular microfluidics inspired by movable type printing. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:111. [PMID: 37705925 PMCID: PMC10495351 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00585-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Reconfigurable modular microfluidics presents an opportunity for flexibly constructing prototypes of advanced microfluidic systems. Nevertheless, the strategy of directly integrating modules cannot easily fulfill the requirements of common applications, e.g., the incorporation of materials with biochemical compatibility and optical transparency and the execution of small batch production of disposable chips for laboratory trials and initial tests. Here, we propose a manufacturing scheme inspired by the movable type printing technique to realize 3D free-assembly modular microfluidics. Double-layer 3D microfluidic structures can be produced by replicating the assembled molds. A library of modularized molds is presented for flow control, droplet generation and manipulation and cell trapping and coculture. In addition, a variety of modularized attachments, including valves, light sources and microscopic cameras, have been developed with the capability to be mounted onto chips on demand. Microfluidic systems, including those for concentration gradient generation, droplet-based microfluidics, cell trapping and drug screening, are demonstrated. This scheme enables rapid prototyping of microfluidic systems and construction of on-chip research platforms, with the intent of achieving high efficiency of proof-of-concept tests and small batch manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoqi Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Jiandong Wu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Lulu Zheng
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Yan Long
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Junyi Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Jianlang Li
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Bo Dai
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Francis Lin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
| | - Songlin Zhuang
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
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Wu J, Fang H, Zhang J, Yan S. Modular microfluidics for life sciences. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:85. [PMID: 36906553 PMCID: PMC10008080 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01846-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The advancement of microfluidics has enabled numerous discoveries and technologies in life sciences. However, due to the lack of industry standards and configurability, the design and fabrication of microfluidic devices require highly skilled technicians. The diversity of microfluidic devices discourages biologists and chemists from applying this technique in their laboratories. Modular microfluidics, which integrates the standardized microfluidic modules into a whole, complex platform, brings the capability of configurability to conventional microfluidics. The exciting features, including portability, on-site deployability, and high customization motivate us to review the state-of-the-art modular microfluidics and discuss future perspectives. In this review, we first introduce the working mechanisms of the basic microfluidic modules and evaluate their feasibility as modular microfluidic components. Next, we explain the connection approaches among these microfluidic modules, and summarize the advantages of modular microfluidics over integrated microfluidics in biological applications. Finally, we discuss the challenge and future perspectives of modular microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialin Wu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Nanophotonics Research Center, Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Fang
- Nanophotonics Research Center, Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Sheng Yan
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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Lai X, Sun Y, Yang M, Wu H. Rubik's Cube as Reconfigurable Microfluidic Platform for Rapid Setup and Switching of Analytical Devices. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:2054. [PMID: 36557355 PMCID: PMC9782984 DOI: 10.3390/mi13122054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics technology plays an important role in modern analytical instruments, while the modular design of microfluidics facilitates the reconfiguration of analytical instrument functions, making it possible to deploy on-demand systems in the field. However, modular design also faces the challenges such as connection reliability and reconfiguration convenience. Inspired by the self-locking structure of the Rubik's cube, a modular, reconfigurable microfluidic instrument architecture is proposed in this paper. The system has a self-locking structure of Rubik's cube components and an O-ring-based alignment and sealing mechanism, which enables reliable interconnection and rapid rearrangement of microfluidic modules by simply rotating the faces of the microfluidic cube. In addition, the system is capable of integrating a variety of customized modules to perform analysis tasks. A proof-of-concept application of detecting multiple pollutants in water is demonstrated to show the reconfigurable characteristics of the system. The findings of this paper provide a new idea for the design of microfluidic analytical instrument architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Lai
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Yanfei Sun
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Mingpeng Yang
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Hao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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Lai X, Yang M, Wu H, Li D. Modular Microfluidics: Current Status and Future Prospects. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1363. [PMID: 36014285 PMCID: PMC9414757 DOI: 10.3390/mi13081363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This review mainly studies the development status, limitations, and future directions of modular microfluidic systems. Microfluidic technology is an important tool platform for scientific research and plays an important role in various fields. With the continuous development of microfluidic applications, conventional monolithic microfluidic chips show more and more limitations. A modular microfluidic system is a system composed of interconnected, independent modular microfluidic chips, which are easy to use, highly customizable, and on-site deployable. In this paper, the current forms of modular microfluidic systems are classified and studied. The popular fabrication techniques for modular blocks, the major application scenarios of modular microfluidics, and the limitations of modular techniques are also discussed. Lastly, this review provides prospects for the future direction of modular microfluidic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Lai
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Mingpeng Yang
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Hao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Dachao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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du Chatinier DN, Figler KP, Agrawal P, Liu W, Zhang YS. The potential of microfluidics-enhanced extrusion bioprinting. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:041304. [PMID: 34367403 PMCID: PMC8324304 DOI: 10.1063/5.0033280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics-enhanced bioprinting holds great promise in the field of biofabrication as it enables the fabrication of complex constructs with high shape fidelity and utilization of a broad range of bioinks with varying viscosities. Microfluidic systems contain channels on the micrometer-scale, causing a change in fluid behaviors, enabling unconventional bioprinting applications such as facilitating the precise spatial positioning and switching between bioinks with higher accuracy compared to traditional approaches. These systems can roughly be divided into three groups: microfluidic chips, co- and triaxial printheads, and printheads combining both. Although several aspects and parameters remain to be improved, this technology is promising as it is a step toward recapitulating the complex native histoarchitecture of human tissues more precisely. In this Perspective, key research on these different systems will be discussed before moving onto the limitations and outlook of microfluidics-enhanced bioprinting as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yu Shrike Zhang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Davis JJ, Foster SW, Grinias JP. Low-cost and open-source strategies for chemical separations. J Chromatogr A 2021; 1638:461820. [PMID: 33453654 PMCID: PMC7870555 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2020.461820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, a trend toward utilizing open access resources for laboratory research has begun. Open-source design strategies for scientific hardware rely upon the use of widely available parts, especially those that can be directly printed using additive manufacturing techniques and electronic components that can be connected to low-cost microcontrollers. Open-source software eliminates the need for expensive commercial licenses and provides the opportunity to design programs for specific needs. In this review, the impact of the "open-source movement" within the field of chemical separations is described, primarily through a comprehensive look at research in this area over the past five years. Topics that are covered include general laboratory equipment, sample preparation techniques, separations-based analysis, detection strategies, electronic system control, and software for data processing. Remaining hurdles and possible opportunities for further adoption of open-source approaches in the context of these separations-related topics are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Davis
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
| | - Samuel W Foster
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
| | - James P Grinias
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States.
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Volk AA, Epps RW, Abolhasani M. Accelerated Development of Colloidal Nanomaterials Enabled by Modular Microfluidic Reactors: Toward Autonomous Robotic Experimentation. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2004495. [PMID: 33289177 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202004495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, microfluidic technologies have emerged as a powerful approach for the advanced synthesis and rapid optimization of various solution-processed nanomaterials, including semiconductor quantum dots and nanoplatelets, and metal plasmonic and reticular framework nanoparticles. These fluidic systems offer access to previously unattainable measurements and synthesis conditions at unparalleled efficiencies and sampling rates. Despite these advantages, microfluidic systems have yet to be extensively adopted by the colloidal nanomaterial community. To help bridge the gap, this progress report details the basic principles of microfluidic reactor design and performance, as well as the current state of online diagnostics and autonomous robotic experimentation strategies, toward the size, shape, and composition-controlled synthesis of various colloidal nanomaterials. By discussing the application of fluidic platforms in recent high-priority colloidal nanomaterial studies and their potential for integration with rapidly emerging artificial intelligence-based decision-making strategies, this report seeks to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations between microfluidic reactor engineers and colloidal nanomaterial chemists. Full convergence of these two research efforts offers significantly expedited and enhanced nanomaterial discovery, optimization, and manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda A Volk
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Robert W Epps
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Milad Abolhasani
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
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Shi Z, Lai X, Sun C, Zhang X, Zhang L, Pu Z, Wang R, Yu H, Li D. Step emulsification in microfluidic droplet generation: mechanisms and structures. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:9056-9066. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cc03628e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Step emulsification for micro- and nano-droplet generation is reviewed in brief, including the emulsion mechanisms and microfluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Xiaochen Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Chengtao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Xingguo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Zhihua Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Ridong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Haixia Yu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomedical Detecting Techniques and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
| | - Dachao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin
- China
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