ECLS Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Ann Arbor Veteran Affairs Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA.
Lab Chip. 2024 Sep 10;24(18):4357-4370. doi: 10.1039/d4lc00339j.
The ability to cost-effectively produce large surface area microfluidic devices would bring many small-scale technologies such as microfluidic artificial lungs (μALs) from the realm of research to clinical and commercial applications. However, efforts to scale up these devices, such as by stacking multiple flat μALs have been labor intensive and resulted in bulky devices. Here, we report an automated manufacturing system, and a series of cylindrical multi-layer lungs manufactured with the system and tested for fluidic fidelity and function. A roll-to-roll (R2R) system to engrave multiple-layer devices was assembled. Unlike typical applications of R2R, the rolling process is synchronized to achieve consistent radial positioning. This allows the fluidics in the final device to be accessed without being unwrapped. To demonstrate the capabilities of the R2R manufacturing system, this method was used to manufacture multi-layer μALs. Gas and blood are engraved in alternating layers and routed orthogonally to each other. The proximity of gas and blood separated by gas permeable PDMS permits CO and O exchange diffusion. After manufacturing, they were evaluated using water for pressure drop and CO gas exchange. The best performing device was tested with fresh whole bovine blood for O exchange. Three μALs were successfully manufactured and passed leak testing. The top performing device had 15 alternating blood and gas layers. It oxygenated blood from 70% saturation to 95% saturation at a blood flow of 3 mL min and blood side pressure drop of 234 mmHg. This new roll-to-roll manufacturing system is suitable for the automated construction of multi-layer microfluidic devices that are difficult to manufacture by conventional means. With some upgrades and improvements, this technology should allow for the automatic creation of large surface area microfluidic devices that can be employed for various applications including large-scale membrane gas exchange such as clinical-scale microfluidic artificial lungs.
能够经济有效地生产大面积的微流控器件将把许多小规模技术，如微流控人工肺（μAL）从研究领域推向临床和商业应用。然而，通过堆叠多个平板 μAL 等方法来扩大这些器件的规模，既费力又导致设备庞大。在这里，我们报告了一种自动化制造系统，以及一系列用该系统制造并经过流体保真度和功能测试的圆柱形多层肺。组装了一个用于多层器件雕刻的卷对卷（R2R）系统。与典型的 R2R 应用不同，滚动过程是同步的，以实现一致的径向定位。这使得可以在不拆开的情况下访问最终设备中的流体。为了展示 R2R 制造系统的能力，我们使用该方法制造了多层 μAL。气体和血液被交替雕刻并彼此垂直布线。由透气 PDMS 隔开的气体和血液的接近度允许 CO 和 O 交换扩散。制造后，用去离子水进行压降和 CO 气体交换测试。性能最佳的设备用新鲜的全牛血进行 O 交换测试。成功制造了三个 μAL 并通过了泄漏测试。性能最佳的设备具有 15 个交替的血液和气体层。它以 3 mL min 的血流和 234 mmHg 的血液侧压降将血液从 70%饱和度氧合到 95%饱和度。这种新的卷对卷制造系统适用于通过传统方法难以制造的多层微流控器件的自动化构建。通过一些升级和改进，这项技术应该可以允许自动创建可用于各种应用的大面积微流控器件，包括大规模膜气体交换，如临床规模的微流控人工肺。
