Optical biosensing using particle diffusometry on thermoplastic microfluidic chips bonded using direct and indirect chip bonding methods

IF 3.3 4区医学 Q3 ENGINEERING, BIOMEDICAL

Biomedical Microdevices Pub Date : 2026-04-20 DOI:10.1007/s10544-026-00810-4

Julio A. Rivera-De Jesus, Alexander B. Memmer, Dong Hoon Lee, Tamara L. Kinzer-Ursem, Steven T. Wereley, Jacqueline C. Linnes, Melinda A. Lake-Speers

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Thermoplastics offer a scalable and cost-effective platform for fabricating microfluidic devices for point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Among them, cyclic olefin polymer (COP) stands out due to its exceptional optical clarity, making it suitable for fluorescence-based biosensing. However, bonding COP layers without compromising mechanical strength or imaging quality remains a challenge. This study systematically evaluates four bonding techniques: thermal bonding, solvent bonding, UV-curable adhesives, and pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA), using standardized 180-degree peel tests to quantify bond strength. PSA bonding exhibited the highest adhesion (0.2–0.8 N/mm), while thermal and solvent bonds were notably weaker (<0.05 N/mm). Plasma treatment improved bond strength and uniformity across most methods. We demonstrate the utility of these bonding techniques by fabricating multilayer microfluidic chips compatible with particle diffusometry (PD), an optical biosensing method that detects Vibrio cholerae DNA via changes in nanoparticle motion. Chips were assessed for both mechanical robustness and image intensity suitability for smartphone-based PD measurements. This work provides practical design criteria for selecting prototyping-compatible bonding strategies in the development of low-cost, optically clear microfluidic diagnostic platforms.

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热塑性微流控芯片上的粒子扩散光学生物传感，采用直接和间接的芯片键合方法。

热塑性塑料为制造即时诊断（POC）的微流控设备提供了可扩展且经济高效的平台。其中，环烯烃聚合物（COP）因其优异的光学清晰度而脱颖而出，使其适合于基于荧光的生物传感。然而，在不影响机械强度或成像质量的情况下粘合COP层仍然是一个挑战。本研究系统地评估了四种粘合技术：热粘合、溶剂粘合、uv固化粘合剂和压敏粘合剂（PSA），使用标准化的180度剥离测试来量化粘合强度。PSA键合的附着力最高（0.2 ~ 0.8 N/mm），热键和溶剂键合的附着力较弱（0.05 N/mm）。等离子体处理提高了大多数方法的结合强度和均匀性。我们通过制造与粒子扩散（PD）兼容的多层微流控芯片，展示了这些键合技术的实用性。粒子扩散（PD）是一种光学生物传感方法，通过纳米粒子运动的变化来检测霍乱弧菌DNA。评估了芯片的机械稳健性和基于智能手机的PD测量的图像强度适用性。这项工作为在低成本、光学清晰的微流控诊断平台的开发中选择原型兼容的键合策略提供了实用的设计标准。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Biomedical Microdevices 工程技术-工程：生物医学

CiteScore

6.90

自引率

3.60%

发文量

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： Biomedical Microdevices: BioMEMS and Biomedical Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary periodical devoted to all aspects of research in the medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (BioMEMS) and nanotechnology for medicine and biology. General subjects of interest include the design, characterization, testing, modeling and clinical validation of microfabricated systems, and their integration on-chip and in larger functional units. The specific interests of the Journal include systems for neural stimulation and recording, bioseparation technologies such as nanofilters and electrophoretic equipment, miniaturized analytic and DNA identification systems, biosensors, and micro/nanotechnologies for cell and tissue research, tissue engineering, cell transplantation, and the controlled release of drugs and biological molecules. Contributions reporting on fundamental and applied investigations of the material science, biochemistry, and physics of biomedical microdevices and nanotechnology are encouraged. A non-exhaustive list of fields of interest includes: nanoparticle synthesis, characterization, and validation of therapeutic or imaging efficacy in animal models; biocompatibility; biochemical modification of microfabricated devices, with reference to non-specific protein adsorption, and the active immobilization and patterning of proteins on micro/nanofabricated surfaces; the dynamics of fluids in micro-and-nano-fabricated channels; the electromechanical and structural response of micro/nanofabricated systems; the interactions of microdevices with cells and tissues, including biocompatibility and biodegradation studies; variations in the characteristics of the systems as a function of the micro/nanofabrication parameters.