The method and apparatus enable the creation of high aspect ratio structures, which are tall and thin 3D shapes. The process involves depositing a special viscoelastic fluid (a mixture of a volatile solvent and a polymer) on a bottom plate, compressing it with a top plate, and then slowly separating the plates. This separation stretches the fluid and allows a low-viscous fluid to penetrate through small holes in the plates. As the solvent evaporates, the desired tall, thin structures are formed. This technique can be applied to various high-tech applications and allows for precise and complex 3D shapes.
- Cost-effective and Time-efficient: The lithography-less process reduces both the cost and time compared to conventional methods.
- Spontaneous Fabrication: Achieves complex 3D geometries through a simple two-step process of fluid squeezing and separation.
- Scalable for Multi-scale Fabrication: Suitable for creating any array structure with high aspect ratio (HAR) walls across various scales without increasing costs.
- Versatile Applications: Capable of producing diverse patterns, such as honeycomb structures, square lattices, and biomimetic designs, ideal for applications in cell research, drug screening, and tissue engineering.
- Metamaterial Potential: Allows for the creation of 3D metamaterials by stacking multiple high aspect ratio hexagonal wells.
- Innovative Fluid Shaping Method: Involves fluid reorganization of the evaporative polymer solution between two strategically modified plates by simply squeezing and lifting.
- Suitable for Biomimicry: Various human organ having high aspect ratio array geometry which can be mimicked with this proposed fabrication method.
- Cost-effective and Time-efficient: The lithography-less process reduces both the cost and time compared to conventional methods.
- Spontaneous Fabrication: Achieves complex 3D geometries through a simple two-step process of fluid squeezing and separation.
- Scalable for Multi-scale Fabrication: Suitable for creating any array structure with high aspect ratio (HAR) walls across various scales without increasing costs.
- Versatile Applications: Capable of producing diverse patterns, such as honeycomb structures, square lattices, and biomimetic designs, ideal for applications in cell research, drug screening, and tissue engineering.
- Metamaterial Potential: Allows for the creation of 3D metamaterials by stacking multiple high aspect ratio hexagonal wells.
- Innovative Fluid Shaping Method: Involves fluid reorganization of the evaporative polymer solution between two strategically modified plates by simply squeezing and lifting.
- Suitable for Biomimicry: Various human organ having high aspect ratio array geometry which can be mimicked with this proposed fabrication method.
The prototype produces high aspect ratio 3D multiscale structures with dimensions ranging from 10 micrometers to several millimeters, accurately controlling fluid-fluid interface instability.
Several systems and prototypes for multiple scales have been developed based on this technology and tested in the laboratory successfully.
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The proposed technology has potential for biomimicry, making it valuable for organ-on-a-chip devices and phantom making industries. Additionally, this technology may enable the creation of 3D metamaterials by stacking multiple high aspect ratio hexagonal wells. Array of microwells in a honeycomb shape could also be useful for spheroid formation applications.
Biomedical Engineering, Microfabrication, Microfluids device fabrication
- Biomedical Devices: Facilitates the creation of intricate structures for biomedical devices like microfluidic chips and implantable sensors.
- Drug Delivery Systems: Supports the development of controlled-release drug delivery systems for precise and targeted therapy.
- Regenerative Medicine: Enables the fabrication of complex tissue scaffolds and microenvironments for tissue engineering and organ regeneration.
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