Fabrication of microfluidic devices by 3D printing: technology, materials, applications and prospects

Microfluidic devices have emerged as a cornerstone of chemical process intensification, owing to their exceptional mass and heat transfer efficiencies, precise fluid manipulation, and inherent safety. However, their traditional manufacturing technology is limited by high cost, long cycle and insufficient structural design freedom. Leveraging layer-by-layer additive manufacturing, 3D printing offers a revolutionary approach to fabricating microfluidic devices, characterized by sub-micron resolution, unparalleled design flexibility, and rapid prototyping capabilities. This paper systematically reviews the technical system of 3D printing microfluidic devices for the chemical industry. Starting from the forming mechanism and applicable scenarios of mainstream printing technologies (photocuring, melt extrusion, powder bed melting), the interface characteristics and chemical compatibility of photosensitive resin, thermoplastic wire, metal/ceramic powder and other materials are compared and analyzed. The innovative applications of 3D printed microreactors in chemical scenarios such as catalytic reaction, nanomaterial synthesis, continuous flow separation and multi-functional integration are mainly discussed. Finally, aiming at the key technical bottlenecks such as multi-material co-printing, surface roughness control and high-throughput production, the development direction of high-throughput design-manufacturing-testing platform driven by digital twin is proposed, which provides theoretical support for the industrial application of microfluidic devices and the low-carbon transformation of the chemical industry.