Developing a method of fabricating microchannels using plant root structure. (16th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nakashima, Shota; Tokumaru, Kazuki; Tsumori, Fujio
• Is Part Of: Japanese journal of applied physics. Volume 57:Number 6(2018)Supplement 1
• Publication Date: 2018-05-16
• Subjects: Physics -- Periodicals; 621.05
• DOI: 10.7567/JJAP.57.06HJ07
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-4922

Abstract

Abstract: Complicated three-dimensional (3D) microchannels are expected to be applied to a lab-on-a-chip, especially an organ-on-a-chip. There are fine microchannel networks such as blood vessels in a living organ. However, it is difficult to recreate the complicated 3D microchannels of real living structures. Plant roots have a similar structure to blood vessels. They spread radially and three-dimensionally, and become thinner as they branch. In this research, we propose a method of fabricating microchannels using a live plant root as a template to mimic a blood vessel structure. We grew a plant in ceramic slurry instead of soil. The slurry consists of ceramic powder, binder and water, so it plays a similar role to soil consisting of fine particles in water. After growing the plant, the roots inside the slurry were burned and a sintered ceramic body with channel structures was obtained by heating. We used two types of slurry with different composition ratios, and compared the internal channel structures before and after sintering.