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Green Microfluidic Devices Made of Corn Protein

Detailed Technology Description
This technology is an alternative green microfluidic device made of zein, a prolamin of corn, which can be utilized as a disposable, environmentally friendly microchip.
Countries
United States
Application No.
8956577
*Abstract

Microfluidic devices are widely used in medicine, agriculture, and research. They provide rapid analysis,have small sample size requirements, and are user-friendly and inexpensive. However, since they arederived from petroleum, their lack of biodegradability and biocompatability raises environmental concernsand limits their applications.

This technology is an alternative green microfluidic device made of zein, a prolamin of corn, which canbe utilized as a disposable, environmentally friendly microchip. Standard soft lithography and stereolithography techniques are used to fabricate thin zein films with microfluidic chambers and channels.

The ease of fabrication and bonding and the flexibility and moldability of zein offer attractive possibilitiesfor microfluidic device design and manufacturing. These devices can include several unit operations withmixing being one of the most commonly used. 

The zein-based microfluidic devices, made entirely from
a biopolymer from agricultural origin, offer alternative environmentally friendly material choices that areless dependent on limited petroleum based polymer resources. Devices manufactured using this methodare biodegradable and biocompatible, decreasing the environmental impact and increasing the number ofapplications in which microfluidics can be applied.

Benefits

Microfluidic devices manufactured using this technology have the following benefits: 

  • Biodegradable
  • Biocompatible
  • Antibacterial and Anti-fungal Properties
  • Ability to manufacture 3D structures 

For more information about this technology, please contact the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Technology Management at otm@illinois.edu.
*IP Issue Date
None
*IP Type
Utility
Country/Region
USA

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