Author(s): Carson Hoopes, Jackson Hoopes
Mentor(s): Ken Christensen, Greg Nordin
Institution BYU
Optimizing oxygen transport in microfluidic systems is critical for maintaining cellular viability, particularly in applications utilizing PEGDA (polyethylene glycol diacrylate) resins. Although PEGDA-based 3D printing achieves precise micro-scale fabrication, its limited oxygen permeability poses challenges in sustaining cell cultures. This study introduces hydrophobic surface architectures within PEGDA devices to address hypoxia. Leveraging PEGDA’s micro-scale hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition, we designed geometric features that improve oxygen diffusion adjacent to cell culture sites. Oxygen flux was quantified via evaporation models, yielding an average diffusion rate of 74 nL/hr per lid. Contact angle measurements confirmed enhanced hydrophobicity, with treated surfaces reaching 135.9±1.0°, compared to 59.3±1.6° for untreated PEGDA. Devices incorporating these optimized surfaces demonstrated significant improvements in cell viability, underscoring the potential of hydrophobic patterning for sustaining oxygen levels in closed microenvironments. This approach advances PEGDA microfluidics for cell-based assays, addressing a key limitation in gas-impermeable materials without compromising structural integrity or resolution.