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Microfluidics in Biotechnology pp 37–66Cite as

Emerging Technologies and Materials for High-Resolution 3D Printing of Microfluidic Chips

Part of the Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology book series (ABE,volume 179)

Abstract

In recent years, 3D printing has had a huge impact on the field of biotechnology: from 3D-printed pharmaceuticals to tissue engineering and microfluidic chips. Microfluidic chips are of particular interest and importance for the field of biotechnology, since they allow for the analysis and screening of a wide range of biomolecules – including single cells, proteins, and DNA. The fabrication of microfluidic chips has historically been time-consuming, however, and is typically limited to 2.5 dimensional structures and a restricted palette of well-known materials. Due to the high surface-to-volume ratios in microfluidic chips, the nature of the chip material is of paramount importance to the final system behavior. With the emergence of 3D printing, however, a wide range of microfluidic systems are now being printed for the first time in a manner that facilitates flexibility while minimizing time and cost. Nevertheless, resolution and material choices still remain challenges and in the focus of current research, aiming for (1) 3D printing with high resolutions in the range of tens of micrometers and (2) a wider range of available materials for these high-resolution prints. The first part of this chapter highlights recent emerging technologies in the field of high-resolution printing via stereolithography (SL) and 2-photon polymerization (2PP) and seeks to identify particularly interesting emerging technologies which could have a major impact on the field in the near future. The second part of this chapter highlights current developments in the field of materials that are used for these high-resolution 3D printing technologies.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

  • 2-photonpolymerization
  • 3D printed microfluidics
  • Materials
  • Stereolithography

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Acknowledgments

BER thanks the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) for funding through the Center for Excellence livMatS Exec 2193/1 – 390951807.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Process Technology, NeptunLab, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Frederik Kotz, Dorothea Helmer & Bastian E. Rapp

  2. Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF), University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Frederik Kotz, Dorothea Helmer & Bastian E. Rapp

  3. FIT Freiburg Centre for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Dorothea Helmer & Bastian E. Rapp

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  1. Frederik Kotz
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  2. Dorothea Helmer
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  3. Bastian E. Rapp
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Correspondence to Frederik Kotz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany

    Dr. Janina Bahnemann

  2. Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany

    Dr. Alexander Grünberger

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Kotz, F., Helmer, D., Rapp, B.E. (2020). Emerging Technologies and Materials for High-Resolution 3D Printing of Microfluidic Chips. In: Bahnemann, J., Grünberger, A. (eds) Microfluidics in Biotechnology. Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, vol 179. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/10_2020_141

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