Abstract
We succeeded in developing a new simple and unique method to fabricate enclosed microfluidic channels within Polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) substrates. The procedure is extremely straight forward, where sacrificial caramel embedded inside solid PDMS simply dissolves to form arbitrary shaped enclosed channels. Arbitrary microchannel network including 3-D interchanges, cross-junctions and very thin(≤1μm) cylindrical channels can be produced with no costly equipment and no cytotoxic material. Because deposited caramel lines change from flat to cylindrical due to its surface tension, microchannel with circular cross-section can be realized easily. Owing to the procedures simplicity and applicability, the novel technique realized herein will have a penetrating impact as a versatile fabrication tool and lead to the opening of new avenues in the field of biomedical engineering and microfluidics.
