Table 1.
Summary of published fabrication methods, materials, advantages, and disadvantages of for p-CMF devices.
| Method [References] | Materials | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot laminating [16] | Paraffin film | Simple and low-cost | Requires a cutter and hot-laminator |
| Wax printing [17,37,38,39] | Wax | Rapid and low-cost; no mask needed; programmable printing; mass production | Requires cure at high temperature |
| Screen printing [36,40] | Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) | Rapid and low-cost; can print with high viscosity ink | Requires cure at high temperature and screen mask |
| Photolithography [2,57] | Photoresist; octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) | High resolution; mass production | Requires clean room facilities |
| Direct handwriting [41] | Titanium oxide (TiO2) | Rapid and low-cost | Heavily depends on writers’ skill; difficult to mass produce |
| Inkjet printing [42,43,44] | Alkyl ketene dimer (AKD); commercial permanent marker ink | Customizable design; programmable printing | Requires low viscosity ink; nozzle clogging |
| Plotting [18,45,64] | PDMS; commercial permanent marker ink | Simple operation; low-cost | Requires a customized dispenser |
| Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) [46] | Trichlorosilane (TCS) | Rapid and simple process | Requires vacuum pump and mask |
| Cutting [20,21,22,47] | -- | No hydrophobic agent is required; high resolution (laser cutter) | The resolution depends on the sharpness of a cutting blade; Expensive (laser cutter) |
| Layer-by-layer assembling [48,49,50,51,52,53] | RFSiCl3, wax, photoresist; tape | Can create 3D channel; multiple layer channels | Requires a cutter, tape, and holder |
| Molding [54] | Cellulose powder | No hydrophobic agents are required | Requires molding |
| Embossing [35,48,55,56] | RFSiCl3; wax; Paraffin film, | Can create 3D channel; simple and low-cost | Requires high pressure and molding |
| Laser treatment [57,58,59,60,61,62,63] | Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS); TiO2; photopolymer; hydrophobic so-gel | Can control surface energy of paper channel | Requires large area of hydrophobic coating on paper |