Roll-to-roll (R2R) technologies are mature core processes in manufacturing lines for graphical printing industry. In several other areas (e.g. electronics or optics) R2R techniques are emerging, in particular relying on recently developed roller-based nanoimprinting methods. They enable manufacturing of highly cost-effective and large-scale sheets of flexible polymer film with extremely precise structures on a micro- and nanoscale.
Areas that will benefit strongly from adopting such R2R imprinting technologies are microfluidics, biosensors, and lab-on-chip products for point of care diagnostics, drug discovery and food control. Here R2R fabrication will greatly reduce production costs and increase manufacturing capacity with respect to currently used products.
Within the European Horizon 2020 project R2R Biofluidics, a pilot production line and complete process chain for manufacturing of lab-on-chip devices is set up, based on high-throughput R2R imprinting in combination with R2R biomolecule printing and further backend process technologies.
The capabilities of these R2R production technologies is demonstrated based on two applications:
• Demonstrator 1: In-vitro diagnostic chip with imprinted microfluidic channels based on optical chemiluminescence detection using photodetectors; containing imprinted optical microstructures for light coupling and thus improving device performance.
• Demonstrator 2: Neuron-culture plates containing imprinted cavities and channels for controlled culturing and fluorescence imaging of neurons, to be applied in high throughput drug screening.
Each demonstrator development includes simulation, layout generation, mastering, shim fabrication, roll-to-roll imprinting, roll-to-roll biomolecule printing as well as inlet cutting, bonding and chip/device cutting. Both demonstrators are finished by testing of improved device performance as well as by fluidic experiments.
