Linear polydimethylsiloxane microstructure fabrication by electrohydrodynamic printing with cone jet

Suzhou Tang; Yeming Zhu; Zhansheng Zhang; E. Cheng

doi:10.1117/1.JMM.22.3.033001

23 August 2023 Linear polydimethylsiloxane microstructure fabrication by electrohydrodynamic printing with cone jet

Suzhou Tang, Yeming Zhu, Zhansheng Zhang, E. Cheng

Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology, Vol. 22, Issue 3, 033001 (August 2023). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.22.3.033001

Abstract

Background

Flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with linear microstructures plays an indispensable role in the fields of bioengineering and flexible sensing due to their excellent light transmittance and biocompatibility.

Aim

We aim to address the challenge of achieving simple, environmentally friendly manufacturing of PDMS linear microstructures.

Approach

A direct molding technique for fabricating high-quality PDMS microstructures by electrohydrodynamic printing with a cone jet was proposed. In this method, the viscosity of PDMS was changed by still setting at room temperature to print high-quality PDMS linear microstructures, without introducing any other chemical reagents.

Results

The influences of the still-setting time and curing temperature on the surface topography and jet morphology were studied, and the impacts of working parameters on the width of linear microstructures and jet stability were also investigated. By optimizing the still-setting time and printing parameters, the PDMS linear microstructures with a line width of 165.6 μm were printed.

Conclusions

This method provides a simple and environmentally friendly process to fabricate PDMS linear microstructures and facilitate their application.

Citation Download Citation

Suzhou Tang, Yeming Zhu, Zhansheng Zhang, and E. Cheng "Linear polydimethylsiloxane microstructure fabrication by electrohydrodynamic printing with cone jet," Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology 22(3), 033001 (23 August 2023). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.22.3.033001

Received: 20 April 2023; Accepted: 3 August 2023; Published: 23 August 2023

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