Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shanshan Qin, Gaozhi Ou, Biao Wang, Zheyu Li, Rui Hu, Ying Li, Yunhuang Yang
Summary: This study reports a photolithography-free method for rapid fabrication of PDMS devices. By using a laser cutter to ablate a tape, a male photoresist mold can be obtained within 5 minutes by a simple heating-step. The method offers advantages of low input, simple operation procedure, and short fabrication time.
CHINESE CHEMICAL LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mustafa Tahsin Guler, Murat Inal, Ismail Bilican
Summary: A new method for fabricating PDMS microchannels through replication of plexiglass molds was developed in this study, providing the fastest and most cost-effective mold making process. The method enables high aspect ratio microchannels and has been validated with various applications.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Song Gao, Tonghuan Zhan, Wei Zhou, Fuzhou Niu, Shuqiang Min, Aijun Xiao, Bing Xu
Summary: This paper presents a method for fabricating complex non-rectangular microchannels by embossing-based soft lithography using a mold (e.g., balls). The use of aluminum foil allows for complete replication of the ball morphology, resulting in microchannels with a perfect circular cross-section. By adjusting fabrication parameters such as gap size and ball diameter, the width and height of the circular microchannel can be precisely controlled. Furthermore, the method can be extended to create more complex channels with different cross-sectional shapes or combined channels by replacing the balls with molds of various cross sections. The complex non-rectangular channels were utilized to construct microfluidic valves and improve the mixing results of two liquid.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mostapha Marzban, Ehsan Yazdanpanah Moghadam, Javad Dargahi, Muthukumaran Packirisamy
Summary: Microfluidic systems have attracted increasing attention due to their diverse applications, and soft lithography offers a safer and more affordable alternative to traditional fabrication techniques. This study presents a 3D multi-layer PDMS suspended microfluidics fabrication process using soft lithography, addressing bonding strength and trapped air-bubbles as main manufacturing issues. Through optimization of curing temperature and air-vent channel integration, these issues are effectively resolved. Experimental tests confirm the sensitivity of the suspended microfluidic system to different fluids and flow rates.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Demei Lee, Ya-Ling Tang, Shih-Jung Liu
Summary: Nanofeatured polymeric films were successfully fabricated using nanosphere lithography and UV soft-mold roller embossing, showcasing their application in solar cells. Empirical outcomes demonstrate that UV soft-mold roller embossing offers a simple yet potent way of producing nanofeatured films, with different processing variables influencing the reproducibility of the films.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yingbo Yan, Tianlu Wang, Rongjing Zhang, Yilun Liu, Wenqi Hu, Metin Sitti
Summary: Methodologies based on intravascular imaging have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of endovascular diseases. However, current methods are limited in detecting complicated occluded vessels. Therefore, a miniature soft tool has been proposed to visualize and cross occlusions with various morphologies, which could enhance the efficacy of minimally invasive medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of occlusions in various circulatory systems.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hidayet Sariogullari, Ayse Z. Aroguz, Zelal Adiguzel
Summary: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in cell growth on patterned surfaces within tissue engineering. This study focused on preparing patterned scaffolds using Titanium (Ti) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and investigating their suitability for cell growth. The results showed that cell proliferation was observed on both patterned surfaces, with a higher proliferation rate on Ti-covered samples. Furthermore, it was found that the length of alkane groups in alkanethiols affected cell adhesion, with undecanethiol showing the highest level of cell proliferation. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy analysis demonstrated significant cell proliferation on all prepared samples.
MOLECULAR BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Bappa Mondal, Sukumar Pati, Promod Kumar Patowari
Summary: The application of microfluidic devices is expanding across various fields, with research on fabrication techniques being a rapidly developing area. Researchers are exploring different materials and methods to manufacture microchannels for diverse applications. The proposed process in the article offers a cost-effective way to fabricate serpentine square wave microchannels with PDMS, providing guidance for researchers in this field.
MATERIALS TODAY-PROCEEDINGS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Gil Cardoso, Frederic Hamouda, Beatrice Dagens
Summary: With the increasing importance of metasurfaces in optical applications, there is a need for a fabrication method that can provide both large surface and low-cost manufacturing with dimensions in the range of 100 nm. We propose a PDMS mold fabrication method that relies on self-assembly masking and direct etching, overcoming the limitation of PDMS viscosity for achieving the required dimensions. The effectiveness of this method is validated by fabricating a metasurface and characterizing its performance for large-surface nanofabrication.
MICROELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Mechanics
Xin Li, Wenkai Yu, Jingyi Liu, Xiaoyan Zhu, Huiru Wang, Xiaoyu Sun, Ju Liu, Hongyan Yuan
Summary: Hard-magnetic soft (HMS) materials are soft active materials made by embedding hard-magnetic particles into soft elastomers. They have applications in soft robotics and haptic sensors. A new three-dimensional HMS rod model is developed in this study, considering the nonlinear stress-strain relation and the areal change of the cross-section. The model can accurately predict the large deformation of the HMS rod.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOLIDS AND STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Bo Zhou, Bo Su, Wurui Ta, Zenghui Yang, Junhu Meng
Summary: This paper presents a simple method for fabricating high-aspect-ratio PDMS microstructures by reducing interfacial adhesion through the cooling process. The effect of cooling on the topography, elastic property, and adhesion property of PDMS is studied, showing that air-cooled PDMS has lower adhesion compared to traditional oven-cooled PDMS. Application of this method successfully yielded PDMS microchannels with a depth of 200μm and an aspect ratio of 10.
JOURNAL OF MICROMECHANICS AND MICROENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Limin Li, Wee Shong Chin
Summary: This study developed a facile Ag nanocube (NC) array substrate for rapid SERS detection of melamine in milk with high Raman enhancement and good reproducibility. The proposed method can detect melamine at low concentrations and SVM regression models showed better predictive performance, especially in liquid milk samples.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Bastian Carnero, Carmen Bao-Varela, Ana Isabel Gomez-Varela, Ezequiel Alvarez, Maria Teresa Flores-Arias
Summary: The study utilized stereolithographic printers and seven printing resins to fabricate microchannels and pillars, analyzing the manufacturing performance of internal and superficial structures. Some resins were evaluated for transparency and biocompatibility for biological and biomedical research purposes.
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING C-MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Thanh-Vinh Nguyen, Yuki Okamoto, Hironao Okada, Atsushi Takei, Yusuke Takei, Masaaki Ichiki
Summary: This paper introduces a method for fabricating flexible elastomeric superomniphobic surfaces with doubly re-entrant microstructures using soft lithography. The novel method involves casting PDMS from a specially prepared SOI wafer to achieve the desired microstructures. The resulting substrate can repel various liquids and has shown superior liquid repellency compared to substrates with different microstructures.
2021 21ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOLID-STATE SENSORS, ACTUATORS AND MICROSYSTEMS (TRANSDUCERS)
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Mengmeng Guo, Na Luo, Yueling Bai, Zhenggang Xue, Qingmin Hu, Jiaqiang Xu
Summary: A porous heterostructure WO3-C/In2O3 was designed and prepared for a miniature H2 sensor, which showed higher response value, lower operating temperature, fast response-recovery speed, and low limit of detection.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Feng Hu, Hui Hu, Yuting Li, Xiaohui Wang, Xiaowen Shi
Summary: Arsenic contamination in water bodies is a significant health risk. This study developed a chitosan-catechol modified electrode for rapid and accurate detection of trace amounts of arsenic. The modified electrode demonstrated good detection capability and resistance to ionic interference, making it suitable for in situ detection.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yantao Zhang, Qian Liu, Tao Tian, Chunhua Xu, Pengli Yang, Lianju Ma, Yi Hou, Hui Zhou, Yongjun Gan
Summary: In this study, a lysosome-targeting buffering fluorogenic probe (Lyso-BFP) was designed and synthesized, demonstrating excellent photostability, pH specificity, and responsiveness to lysosomal acidification in living cells. The performance of Lyso-BFP in pH sensing was attributed to the inhibition of the photo-induced electron transfer process. Lyso-BFP allowed for wash-free imaging and long-term real-time monitoring of lysosome pH changes based on its off-on fluorescence behavior and buffer strategy.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Wei Cai, Wenbo Sun, Jiayue Wang, Xiaokui Huo, Xudong Cao, Xiangge Tian, Xiaochi Ma, Lei Feng
Summary: In this study, a near-infrared fluorescent probe HCBG was developed for imaging of alpha-GLC. HCBG exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards alpha-GLC in complex bio-samples, and showed good cell permeability for in situ real-time imaging. Through the high-throughput screening system established by HCBG, a natural alpha-GLC inhibitor was successfully isolated and identified. This study provides a novel fluorescence visualization tool for discovering and exploring the biological functions of diabetes-related gut microbiota, and a high-throughput screening approach for alpha-GLC inhibitor.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Trey W. Pittman, Xi Zhang, Chamindie Punyadeera, Charles S. Henry
Summary: Heart failure is a growing epidemic and a significant clinical and public health problem. Researchers have developed a portable and affordable diagnostic device for heart failure that can be used at the point-of-care, providing a valid alternative to current diagnostics approaches.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Anders O. Tjell, Barbara Jud, Roland Schaller-Ammann, Torsten Mayr
Summary: An optical hydrogen peroxide sensor based on catalytic degradation and the detection of produced oxygen is presented. The sensor offers higher resolution and better sensitivity at lower H2O2 concentrations. By removing O2 from the sample solution, a more sensitive O2 sensor can be used for measurement. The sensor has been successfully applied in a flow-through cell to measure H2O2 concentration in different flow rates.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Seong Jae Kim, Ji-hun Jeong, Gaabhin Ryu, Yoon Sick Eom, Sanha Kim
Summary: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a high-sensitivity, label-free detection method with various analytical applications. Researchers have developed a hydrophobic SERS substrate based on engineered carbon nanotube arrays (CNT-SERS) and studied the role of structural design at both micro and nanoscales. The substrate demonstrated controlled self-enrichment capability and enhanced sensitivity, with a significant increase in the SERS signal. The study also proposed a theoretical model and a concentration strategy inspired by plants for analyte deposition on microarrays.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Dan Zhao, Renjun Jiang, Xiaoqiang Liu, Subbiah Alwarappan
Summary: In this study, a novel ternary composite material was constructed by assembling cerium vanadate nanorods on reduced graphene oxide-microcrystalline cellulose nanosheets, and it was used for real-time monitoring of the concentration of superoxide anions in vivo. The ternary composite showed excellent conductivity, large surface area, and abundant active sites, leading to a wider linear range, high sensitivity, low detection limit, and fast response time for superoxide anion detection.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tengfei Wang, Liwen Wang, Guang Wu, Dating Tian
Summary: In this study, a covalent organic framework material TaTp-COF with porous and uniform spheres was successfully prepared via hydrothermal reaction, and it was found to significantly enhance the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of berberine. The unique emission properties of berberine on TaTp-COF were studied and utilized for the sensitive detection of berberine.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lin Li, Yilei Ding, Lei Xu, Shuoran Chen, Guoliang Dai, Pengju Han, Lixin Lu, Changqing Ye, Yanlin Song
Summary: In this study, a novel TTI based on a ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor is designed, which has the advantages of high accuracy and low cost. Experimental and theoretical investigations confirm its pH responsiveness and demonstrate its good sensitivity and reliability. By monitoring the total volatile basic nitrogen, this TTI can accurately predict food spoilage and can be adaptively modified for different types of food. The TTI based on this nanosensor enables visual monitoring of food quality.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Fangju Chen, Xueting Wang, Wei Chen, Chenwen Shao, Yong Qian
Summary: Lung cancer is the second most common malignant tumor worldwide. Drug resistance in lung cancer leads to treatment failure and recurrence in majority of patients. This study developed a fluorescent prodrug that can be activated in cancer cells to release drugs, and its signal can be tracked by imaging. It shows a unique autophagy-driven ferroptosis effect, indicating its potential for targeting drug-resistant cancer cells.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Weichao Li, Qiming Yuan, Zhangcheng Xia, Xiaoxue Ma, Lifang He, Ling Jin, Xiangfeng Chu, Kui Zhang
Summary: This study developed a high-performance gas sensor for formaldehyde detection by modifying ZnSnO3 with ZnO QDs and SnO2 QDs. The modified sensor showed improved sensing response and lower working temperature. The presence of ZnO QDs formed rich heterojunctions, increased surface area, and provided oxygen deficiency for formaldehyde sensing reaction, thus enhancing the sensor performance. This research provides an alternative method to enhance the sensing properties of MOS by QDs modification.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Joung-Il Moon, Eun Jung Choi, Younju Joung, Jin-Woo Oh, Sang-Woo Joo, Jaebum Choo
Summary: A novel nanoplasmonic substrate was developed for biomedical applications, which showed strong hot spots for detecting biomarkers at low concentrations. The substrate, called AuNPs@M13, was made by immobilizing 60 nm gold nanoparticles onto the surface of an M13 bacteriophage scaffold. It demonstrated higher sensitivity and lower limit of detection compared to commercially available assays.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Ning Li, Ya Zhang, Ying Xu, Xiaofang Liu, Jian Chen, Mei Yang, Changjun Hou, Danqun Huo
Summary: The molecular subtype of breast cancer guides treatment and drug selection. Invasive tests can promote cancer cell metastasis, so the development of high-performance, low-cost diagnostic tools for cancer prognosis is crucial. Liquid biopsy techniques enable noninvasive, real-time, dynamic, multicomponent, quantitative, and long-term observations at the cellular, genetic, and molecular levels. A Cu-Zr metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoenzyme with monatomic Cu attachment has been synthesized and proven to have high catalytic performance. The sensor constructed using this nanoenzyme shows potential for accurate classification of breast cancer serum samples.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jeongmin Kim, Hyemin Kim, Seunghyun Park, Hyeonaug Hong, Yong Jae Kim, Jiyong Lee, Jaeho Kim, Seung-Woo Cho, Wonhyoung Ryu
Summary: This study presents a method to fabricate independently functioning microneedle (MN) electrodes with narrow intervals for high precision electrochemical sensing. The optimized mixture of photocurable polymer and single-wall carbon nanotubes was used to mold single composite MNs, which were then attached to pre-patterned electrodes. Plasma etching and electropolymerization were performed to enhance the electrochemical activity, and Prussian blue and glucose oxidase were electrodeposited on the MNs for glucose detection. The MN electrodes showed good sensitivity and linearity, and the feasibility of glucose detection was demonstrated in an in vivo mouse study.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)