Superhydrophobicity for antifouling microfluidic surfaces

Methods Mol Biol. 2013:949:269-81. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-134-9_18.

Abstract

Fouling of surfaces is often problematic in microfluidic devices, particularly when using protein or -enzymatic solutions. Various coating methods have been investigated to reduce the tendency for protein molecules to adsorb, mostly relying on hydrophobic surface chemistry or the antifouling ability of -polyethylene glycol. Here we present the potential use of superhydrophobic surfaces to not only reduce the amount of surface contamination but also to induce self-cleaning under flow conditions. The methodology is presented in order to prepare superhydrophobic surface coatings having micro- and nanoscale feature dimensions, as well as a step-by-step guide to quantify adsorbed protein down to nanogram levels. The fabrication of these surfaces as coatings via silica sol-gel and copper nano-hair growth is presented, which can be applied within microfluidic devices manufactured from various materials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Animals
  • Biofouling / prevention & control*
  • Cattle
  • Copper / chemistry
  • Fluorocarbons / chemistry
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions*
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Fluorocarbons
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Copper