A Janus-paper PDMS platform for air-liquid interface cell culture applications

A commercially available Janus paper with one hydrophobic (polyethylene-coated) face and a hygroscopic/hydrophilic one is irreversibly bonded to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate incorporating microfluidic channels via corona discharge surface treatment. The bond strength between the polymer-coated side and PDMS is characterized as a function of corona treatment time and annealing temperature/time. A maximum strength of 392 kPa is obtained with a 2 min corona treatment followed by 60 min of annealing at 120 degrees C. The water contact angle of the corona-treated polymer side decreases with increased discharge duration from 98 degrees to 22 degrees. The hygroscopic/hydrophilic side is seeded with human lung fibroblast cells encapsulated in a methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel to show the potential of this technology for nutrient and chemical delivery in an air-liquid interface cell culture.