3D printed microfluidic devices with integrated valves

• Published in: Biomicrofluidics Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 016501
• Main Authors: Rogers, Chad I., Qaderi, Kamran, Woolley, Adam T., Nordin, Gregory P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Institute of Physics 01.01.2015; AIP Publishing LLC
• Subjects: Channels; Fabrication and Laboratory Methods; Fluid pressure; Protein adsorption; Proteins; Three dimensional printing; Valves
• ISSN: 1932-1058; 1932-1058
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4905840

We report the successful fabrication and testing of 3D printed microfluidic devices with integrated membrane-based valves. Fabrication is performed with a low-cost commercially available stereolithographic 3D printer. Horizontal microfluidic channels with designed rectangular cross sectional dimensions as small as 350 μm wide and 250 μm tall are printed with 100% yield, as are cylindrical vertical microfluidic channels with 350 μm designed (210 μm actual) diameters. Based on our previous work [Rogers et al., Anal. Chem. 83, 6418 (2011)], we use a custom resin formulation tailored for low non-specific protein adsorption. Valves are fabricated with a membrane consisting of a single build layer. The fluid pressure required to open a closed valve is the same as the control pressure holding the valve closed. 3D printed valves are successfully demonstrated for up to 800 actuations.