A scalable, lithography-less fabrication process for generating a bio-inspired, multi-scale channel network in polymers. (29th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kumar, Prasoon; Ul Islam, Tanveer; Majumder, Mainak; Gandhi, Prasanna S
• Is Part Of: Biomedical physics & engineering express. Volume 3:Number 4(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-06-29
• Subjects: electrospinning -- Hele-Shaw cell -- nature-inspired -- multi-scale -- channel networks -- sacrificial; Medical physics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Biomedical engineering -- Periodicals; Medical sciences -- Periodicals; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/aa763b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2057-1976

Abstract

Abstract: Multi-scale fractal morphology communicating with nanoscale phenomena is commonly observed in nature in several applications, including leaves, fish gills, respiratory systems, and so on. Recent investigations of the bio-mimicking of these morphologies confirm their effectiveness in several bio-applications, including heat and mass transfer, tissue engineering, capillary pumps, and self-healing materials. A scalable, lithography-less process of fabricating such fractal channels in micro/meso sizes connected to a vascular nano-network is proposed here. A recently developed, novel method for ultra-fast fabrication of fractal microstructures is integrated with an electrospun nanofibrous network to form sacrificial core structures. These structures are embedded in a thin PDMS matrix and channel networks are generated by removal of sacrificial elements using solvents. Eventually, these structures are characterized and preliminary studies demonstrate their effectiveness in mass transport applications.