Porous Polydimethylsiloxane as a Gas-Liquid Interface for Microfluidic Applications

A gas-liquid interface in microfluidic devices requires effective gas absorption and minimal leakage. Here, we present porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a gas-liquid interface for microfluidic applications. Two different porous PDMS structures, cube and film, have been prepared and tested for carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption ability in microfluidic devices. Porous PDMS showed higher CO2 absorption rates compared with original PDMS thin films. We also demonstrated the utility of porous PDMS gas-liquid interface via artificial photosynthesis device. The experimental results indicated that the porous PDMS gas-liquid interface facilitates sufficient glucose synthesis by allowing effective CO2 penetration.