Organic solvent and surfactant resistant paper-fluidic devices fabricated by one-step embossing of nonwoven polypropylene sheet

Abstract

In this communication, we report a physical method for the fabrication of organic solvent and surfactant-resistant barriers on paper-based fluidic devices. When nonwoven polypropylene sheet is embossed with a steel mold, the embossed region acts as a physical barrier that can prevent the flow of liquids. Embossed polypropylene barriers not only block water, but also block organic solvents and surfactants, which are known to be difficult to handle on previous paper-based devices. Various amounts of embossing pressures were tested to determine the minimum embossing pressure required for leakproof barrier formation. The compatibility of the barrier was also investigated with several surfactants and organic solvents. As a demonstration, a lysis buffer, which was known to leak through wax-printed barriers, was used to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to report a one-step fabrication method of paper-fluidic devices capable of handling surfactants and organic solvents, including alcohols.