Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 1001 Ta-Hseh Rd., Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 21;11(1):14915. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-94484-y.
Droplet-based transport driven by surface tension has been explored as an automated pumping source for several biomedical applications. This paper presented a simple and fast superhydrophobic modify and patterning approach to fabricate various open-surface platforms to manipulate droplets to achieve transport, mixing, concentration, and rebounding control. Several commercial reagents were tested in our approach, and the Glaco reagent was selected to create a superhydrophobic layer; laser cutters are utilized to scan on these superhydrophobic surface to create gradient hydrophilic micro-patterns. Implementing back-and-forth vibrations on the predetermined parallel patterns, droplets can be transported and mixed successfully. Colorimetry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) mixing with substrates also reduced the reaction time by more than 5-times with the help of superhydrophobic patterned chips. Besides, patterned superhydrophobic chips can significantly improve the sensitivity of colorimetric glucose-sensing by more than 10 times. Moreover, all bioassays were distributed homogeneously within the region of hydrophilic micropatterns without the coffee-ring effect. In addition, to discuss further applications of the surface wettability, the way of controlling the droplet impacting and rebounding phenomenon was also demonstrated. This work reports a rapid approach to modify and patterning superhydrophobic films to perform droplet-based manipulations with a lower technical barrier, higher efficiency, and easier operation. It holds the potential to broaden the applications of open microfluidics in the future.
基于表面张力的液滴输运已被探索作为几种生物医学应用的自动化泵送源。本文提出了一种简单快速的超疏水改性和图案化方法，以制造各种开放式平台来操纵液滴，以实现传输、混合、浓缩和回弹控制。在我们的方法中测试了几种商业试剂，选择 Glaco 试剂来创建超疏水层；利用激光切割机在这些超疏水表面扫描以创建梯度亲水微图案。在预定的平行图案上实施来回振动，可以成功地输送和混合液滴。辣根过氧化物酶（HRP）与底物混合的比色法也借助超疏水图案化芯片将反应时间缩短了 5 倍以上。此外，图案化超疏水芯片可使比色葡萄糖传感的灵敏度提高 10 倍以上。此外，所有生物测定都均匀分布在亲水微图案区域内，没有咖啡环效应。此外，为了进一步讨论表面润湿性的应用，还演示了控制液滴冲击和回弹现象的方法。这项工作报告了一种快速的方法来改性和图案化超疏水膜，以进行基于液滴的操作，具有更低的技术壁垒、更高的效率和更简单的操作。它有可能在未来拓宽开放式微流控的应用。
