title: Laser-induced photo-polymerisation for creation of paper-based fluidic devices.
abstract: Paper-based microfluidics is a rapidly progressing inter-disciplinary technology driven by the need for low-cost alternatives to conventional point-of-care diagnostic tools. For transport of reagents/analytes, such devices often consist of interconnected hydrophilic fluid-flow channels that are demarcated by hydrophobic barrier walls that extend through the thickness of the paper. Here, we present a laser-based fabrication procedure that uses polymerisation of a photopolymer to produce the required fluidic channels in paper. Experimental results showed that the structures successfully guide the flow of fluids and allow containment of fluids in wells, and hence the technique is suitable for fabrication of paper-based microfluidic devices. The minimum width for the hydrophobic barriers that successfully prevented fluid leakage was ~120 μm and the minimum width for the fluidic channels that can be formed was ~80 μm, the smallest reported so far for paper-based fluidic patterns.
authors.affiliation: Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, UK SO17 1BJ. cls@orc.soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Sones
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Katis
authors.forename: P J W
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Namiq
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shardlow
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibsen
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Eason
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry; D004867:Equipment Design; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007834:Lasers; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010209:Paper; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D058105:Polymerization
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose