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How 3D printing can boost advances in analytical and bioanalytical chemistry

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Abstract

3D printing fabrication methods have received lately an enormous attention by the scientific community. Laboratories and research groups working on analytical chemistry applications, among others, have advantageously adopted 3D printing to fabricate a wide range of tools, from common laboratory hardware to fluidic systems, sample treatment platforms, sensing structures, and complete fully functional analytical devices. This technology is becoming more affordable over time and therefore preferred over the commonly used fabrication processes like hot embossing, soft lithography, injection molding and micromilling. However, to better exploit 3D printing fabrication methods, it is important to fully understand their benefits and limitations which are also directly associated to the properties of the materials used for printing. Costs, printing resolution, chemical and biological compatibility of the materials, design complexity, robustness of the printed object, and integration with commercially available systems represent important aspects to be weighted in relation to the intended task. In this review, a useful introductory summary of the most commonly used 3D printing systems and mechanisms is provided before the description of the most recent trends of the use of 3D printing for analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. Concluding remarks will be also given together with a brief discussion of possible future directions.

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Acknowledgements

A.A. and A.B. acknowledge the support of the Double-Hundred Program for Foreign Experts of Shandong Province (WST2019011). A.B. gratefully acknowledges Ministry of Education (MOE), AcRF Tier 1 grant (Reference No: RG9/19) for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Optic-electric Sensing and Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, MOE, Shandong Key Laboratory of Biochemical Analysis, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science in Universities of Shandong, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, People’s Republic of China

    Adriano Ambrosi & Alessandra Bonanni

  2. Division of Chemistry & Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore

    Alessandra Bonanni

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  1. Adriano Ambrosi
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Correspondence to Adriano Ambrosi.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on 3D printing Manufacturing Technologies for the Advancement of Analytical Sciences

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Ambrosi, A., Bonanni, A. How 3D printing can boost advances in analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. Microchim Acta 188, 265 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-04901-2

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