Work

High yield fabrication of multilayer polydimethylsiloxane devices with freestanding micropillar arrays

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: A versatile method to fabricate a multilayer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) device with micropillar arrays within the inner layer is reported. The method includes an inexpensive but repeatable approach for PDMS lamination at high compressive force to achieve high yield of pillar molding and transfer to a temporary carrier. The process also enables micropillar-containing thin films to be used as the inner layer of PDMS devices integrated with polymer membranes. A microfluidic cell culture device was demonstrated which included multiple vertically stacked flow channels and a pillar array serving as a cage for a collagen hydrogel. The functionality of the multilayer device was demonstrated by culturing collagen-embedded fibroblasts under interstitial flow through the three-dimensional scaffold. The fabrication methods described in this paper can find applications in a variety of devices, particularly for organ-on-chip applications.

Source: Biomicrofluidics

DOI: 10.1063/1.4827600

Authors: Christopher W. Gregory, Katelyn L. Sellgren, Kristin H. Gilchrist, Sonia Grego

Institution: RTI International

Language: English

Topic: Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Defense Threat Reduction Agency, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Awards: G2011320841, G6541015203