3D-Printed Microfluidics for Hands-On Undergraduate Laboratory Experiments

We demonstrate that the simplicity of preparing functional microfluidic devices using 3D printing is well suited for undergraduate laboratories. Educational experiments utilizing non-paper-based microfluidic devices are often relegated to well-equipped, resource rich universities because traditional fabrication techniques require specialized and expensive equipment. Microfluidics prepared with stereolithography 3D printing provides a simplified and lower cost method of fabrication, while maintaining adequate resolution and performance for teaching laboratories. The applicability of stereolithography 3D-printed microfluidic devices for chemical education is demonstrated with a series of experiments utilizing colorimetric indicators to introduce laminar flow, diffusional mixing, and parabolic flow at the microscale. A microfluidic gel electrophoresis separation was also performed to demonstrate the low reagent requirements of microfluidics.