Breaking the clean room barrier: exploring low-cost alternatives for microfluidic devices

Microfluidics is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses both science and engineering, which aims to design and fabricate devices capable of manipulating extremely low volumes of fluids on a microscale level. The central objective of microfluidics is to provide high precision and accuracy while using minimal reagents and equipment. The benefits of this approach include greater control over experimental conditions, faster analysis, and improved experimental reproducibility. Microfluidic devices, also known as labs-on-a-chip (LOCs), have emerged as potential instruments for optimizing operations and decreasing costs in various of industries, including pharmaceutical, medical, food, and cosmetics. However, the high price of conventional prototypes for LOCs devices, generated in clean room facilities, has increased the demand for inexpensive alternatives. Polymers, paper, and hydrogels are some of the materials that can be utilized to create the inexpensive microfluidic devices covered in this article. In addition, we highlighted different manufacturing techniques, such as soft lithography, laser plotting, and 3D printing, that are suitable for creating LOCs. The selection of materials and fabrication techniques will depend on the specific requirements and applications of each individual LOC. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the numerous alternatives for the development of low-cost LOCs to service industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, and biomedicine.

Automated summary

Microfluidics is an interdisciplinary field that combines science and engineering to design and create devices that manipulate small volumes of fluids. The main goal is to achieve precision and accuracy while minimizing the use of reagents and equipment. This article explores inexpensive alternatives for the development of microfluidic devices, such as polymers, paper, and hydrogels, as well as various manufacturing techniques including soft lithography, laser plotting, and 3D printing. The selection of materials and techniques depends on the specific requirements and applications of each device. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the alternatives for low-cost microfluidic devices, which can be utilized in pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and biomedical industries.