Zhao Na, Yu Zehua, Huang Jun, Liu Yuxi, Zhao Yifan, Fu Xiangqian, Yang Peihua, Liu Kang
MOE Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Machinery Transients, School of Power and Mechanical Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
Institute of Technological Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
Nanoscale. 2023 Mar 30;15(13):6179-6186. doi: 10.1039/d2nr06042f.
Microfluidic chips are prevailingly utilized in biochemical monitoring and clinical diagnostics due to their capability of manipulating minuscule amounts of liquids in a highly integrated manner. Fabrication of microchannels on chips is commonly based on glass or polydimethylsiloxane, and sensing of the fluids and biochemicals within them relies on invasive embedded sensing accessories in the channels. In this study, we propose a hydrogel-assisted microfluidic chip for non-invasive monitoring of chemicals in microfluidics. A nanoporous hydrogel acts as a perfect sealing film on top of a microchannel to encapsulate liquid, and allows for the delivery of target biochemicals to its surface, leaving an open window for non-invasive analysis. This functionally "open" microchannel can be integrated with various electrical, electrochemical, and optical methods to realize accurate detection of biochemicals, suggesting the potential of hydrogel microfluidic chips for non-invasive clinical diagnostics and smart healthcare.
微流控芯片因其能够以高度集成的方式操控微量液体而广泛应用于生化监测和临床诊断。芯片上微通道的制造通常基于玻璃或聚二甲基硅氧烷，对其中流体和生化物质的传感依赖于通道内侵入式嵌入式传感附件。在本研究中，我们提出了一种用于微流控中化学物质非侵入式监测的水凝胶辅助微流控芯片。一种纳米多孔水凝胶在微通道顶部充当完美的密封膜以封装液体，并允许将目标生化物质输送到其表面，为非侵入式分析留出开放窗口。这种功能上“开放”的微通道可以与各种电学、电化学和光学方法集成，以实现生化物质的准确检测，这表明水凝胶微流控芯片在非侵入式临床诊断和智能医疗保健方面具有潜力。
