Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Australian Pulp and Paper Institute, Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road,
Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
Paper-based microfluidic patterns have been demon- is that it is much less flexible than paper, and the device can be
strated in recent literature to have a significant potential easily damaged by bending and folding.7
in developing low-cost analytical devices for telemedicine More recently, Bruzewicz et al.7 used a modified plotter to
and general health monitoring. This study reports a new create a barrier pattern by printing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)
method for making microfluidic patterns on a paper onto paper. When PDMS penetrated into paper, it formed a barrier
surface using plasma treatment. Paper was first hydro- pattern and could be used to control the penetration of liquid in
phobized and then treated using plasma in conjunction channels defined by the barrier pattern. Since PDMS is an
elastomer, it is more flexible than conventional photoresist and
with a mask. This formed well defined hydrophilic chan-
is less susceptible to mechanical damage. However, because of
nels on the paper. Paper-based microfluidic systems
the low surface tension of the solvent used, the PDMS solution
produced in this way retained the flexibility of paper and
penetrates into paper rather easily. Since paper is not a uniform
a variety of patterns could be formed. A major advantage
porous material, the penetration of PDMS cannot be well con-
of this system is that simple functional elements such as trolled, resulting in the wall of the barrier pattern not being
switches and filters can be built into the patterns. Ex- straight.
amples of these elements are given in this study. The novel method of the present study enables patterns to be
created on paper surfaces without affecting their flexibility or
This article reports on a novel method of creating patterns in surface topography. The major advantage of this novel method
paper to control the transport of liquid for pathological testing over previously reported paper-based microfluidic devices is that
and environmental monitoring. Nonwoven fibrous materials such it allows not only sample testing but also building of simple
as paper have very good potential as low-cost base materials for functional components such as control switches, microfilters, and
diagnostic devices for such applications. Cellulose-based papers microreactors, which are important elements for multiple-step
have been used as chromatographic substrates since 1850.1,2 chemical tests. Several examples of these functional elements are
A number of testing devices, such as paper-based indicators3 and presented in this work.
“dip stick” test assays are made of paper. Recently, Martinez et
al.4-6 used paper as a base material to create barrier patterns with EXPERIMENTAL SECTION
photolithographic techniques. The photoresist patterns they Alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) (Wax 88 konz, BASF) was used as
produced guide the capillary penetration of liquids and, with the the cellulose hydrophobization agent. Analytical grade n-heptane
appropriate indicators, can detect chemical components in a liquid (Aldrich) was used as the solvent for AKD. Whatman filter paper
sample. This type of paper-based detector, when used with mod- was selected as the paper substrate. MilliQ water was used to
ern communication tools such as camera phones, can provide prepare all liquid samples required for testing the performance
of the device.
powerful real-time and off-site diagnostic devices for telemedicine
The filter paper was hydrophobized using an AKD-heptane
with great potential to be developed into a low-cost health
solution (0.6 g/L). The filter paper samples were dipped in this
monitoring system.5 The drawback of conventional photoresist
solution and immediately removed and placed in a fume cupboard
to allow evaporation of the heptane. The filter paper samples
* Corresponding author. E-mail: wei.shen@eng.monash.edu.au. Phone: +61
were then heated in an oven at 100 °C for 45 min to cure the
3 99053447. Fax: +61 3 99053413.
(1) Stock, R.; Rice, C. B. F. Chromatographic Methods, 3rd ed.; John Wiley & AKD. The treated filter paper samples are strongly hydrophobic
Sons: New York, 1974; p 106. and have contact angles of typically 110-125° with water.9
(2) Atkins, P.; Jones, L. Chemistry-Molecules, Matter, and Change, 3rd ed.; W.H.
Freeman & Company: New York, 1997; p 26.
Therefore, water shows no penetration into the paper hydropho-
(3) Umland, J. B. General Chemistry; West Publishing Company: St. Paul, MN, bized with AKD.
1993; p 592.
(4) Martinez, A. W.; Phillips, S. T.; Buttle, M. J.; Whitesides, G. M. Angew. Chem., (7) Bruzewicz, D. A.; Reches, M.; Whitesides, G. M. Anal. Chem. 2008, 80,
Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 1318–1320. 3387–3392.
(5) Martinez, A. W.; Phillips, S. T.; Carrilho, E.; Thomas, S. W., III; Sindi, H.; (8) Shen, W.; Tian, J.; Li, X.; Garnier, G. Australian Provisional Patent No.
Whitesides, G. M. Anal. Chem. 2008, 80, 3699–3707. 2008903553, July 11, 2008.
(6) Martinez, A. W.; Phillips, S. T.; Wiley, B. J.; Gupta, M. J.; Whitesides, G. M. (9) Shen, W.; Filonanko, Y.; Truong, Y.; Parker, I. H.; Brack, N.; Pigram, P.;
Lab Chip 2008, DOI: 10.1039/b811135a. Liesegang, J. Colloids Surf., A 2000, 173, 117–126.
10.1021/ac801729t CCC: $40.75 2008 American Chemical Society Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 80, No. 23, December 1, 2008 9131
Published on Web 11/01/2008
Figure 1. Water penetration control of a plasma treated microfluidic
channel using hydrophobized filter paper. (a) A hydrophobized filter
paper sample immediately after the treatment and (b) the treated
sample was exposed to water through the lower edge.