High Throughput Nanoliposome Formation Using 3D Printed Microfluidic Flow Focusing Chips

Abstract

The use of additive manufacturing to fabricate microfluidic devices capable of high throughout synthesis of nanoscale liposomes with tunable dimensions is demonstrated. Employing a high-resolution 3D printing process based on stereolithography and digital light projection, microchannel geometries and printing parameters are optimized to enable reliable patterning of channel features with critical dimensions of 200 mu m, supporting the production of lipid vesicles below 100 nm in diameter by microfluidic flow focusing. The additive manufacturing approach enables the fabrication of flow focusing microchannels with high aspect ratios, together with seamless fabrication of high-pressure fluidic ports for world-to-chip interfacing, supporting large volumetric flow rates and high-throughput nanoparticle synthesis, with demonstrated production rates for optimized liposomes as high as 4 mg min(-1) from a single device.