Characterization of Commercial Photopolymers for Microfluidic Applications

This study characterizes five common photopolymers used in lab-on-chip microfluidic devices, focusing on mechanical performance and surface wettability to define the material usage scope. These factors influence fluid flow, sample interaction, and structural stability. Surface properties were analyzed via the sessile drop technique, while nanoindentation provided hardness and Young’s modulus data. Results show significant differences in mechanical parameters while wetting angle differences are less than 20%. These insights guide material selection for safe, efficient biological sample handling. The findings support ongoing development of advanced microfluidic systems for precise, non-toxic manipulation of living samples.