Table 1.

The application of a microfluidic system made of different materials.

Material Type	Classification	Representative	Methods of Preparation	Advantages	Disadvantages	Application	References
organic material	-------	glass/quartz	photolithography and etching techniques	cheap and easy to obtain, reusable, good light transmission and electroosmosis, good electrical insulation and corrosion resistance	complex manufacturing process, time-consuming and high cost, fragile	gas chromatography and capillary electrophoresis (CE) and electrochemical detection, organic synthesis and droplet formation, PCR	[41,42]
	silicon material	silicon/silicon dioxide	etching techniques	mature process, good thermal stability and inertness.	high cost of materials, opaque, brittle, poor electrical insulation, and low adhesion coefficient	organic synthesis and droplet formation, PCR and CE	[43,44]
	elastomers	polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)	molding and soft lithography	Low cost and easy to use, non-toxic and transparent, excellent chemical inertness and light transmission	Incompatibility of organic solvents and poor pressure resistance, low thermal conductivity and immature processing technology	protein crystallization and bioculture, PCR	[45,46]
Polymer materials	thermosets	SU-8 photoresist and polyimide	photopolymerization and casting	High resistance of temperature and most solvents, transparent and reusable	high cost of materials	CE, organic synthesis and droplet formation, PCR	[47,48]
	thermoplastics	poly (methyl methacrylate (PMMA) polystyrene (PS) and polycarbonate (PC)	hot embossing and laser ablation	good electrical insulation and light transmission, low cost and easy to use, simple preparation and high precision	Non-breathable, high-cost preparation equipment and rough process	CE and PCR, droplet formation	[49,50]
	perfluoropolymers	perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) and fluorinated ethylene propylene	photolithography	Good inertness and antifouling properties, transparent and soft	poor adhesion	environmental monitoring and food analysis	[51]
Special materials	hydrogels	polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)	photopolymerization, casting	high permeability and controllable aperture, allowing small molecules or even biological particles to diffuse, and biocompatible	difficult to store	3D bioculture	[52]
	ceramics	polysiloxane	soft lithography and laser ablation	high resistance of temperature and pressure	poor light transmission, fragile	suitable for applications under harsh conditions	[53]
	paper	analysis filter paper	photolithography and printing	high permeability and low cost, portable and easy to use	easy to damage and disposable	bioculture	[54]