Surface functionalized thiol-ene waveguides for fluorescence biosensing in microfluidic devices

TY - JOUR

T1 - Surface functionalized thiol-ene waveguides for fluorescence biosensing in microfluidic devices

AU - Feidenhans'l, Nikolaj A

AU - Lafleur, Josiane P.

AU - Jensen, Thomas G

AU - Kutter, Jörg P

N1 - © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

PY - 2014/2

Y1 - 2014/2

N2 - Thiol-ene polymers possess physical, optical, and chemical characteristics that make them ideal substrates for the fabrication of optofluidic devices. In this work, thiol-ene polymers are used to simultaneously create microfluidic channels and optical waveguides in one simple moulding step. The reactive functional groups present at the surface of the thiol-ene polymer are subsequently used for the rapid, one step, site-specific functionalization of the waveguide with biological recognition molecules. It was found that while the bulk properties and chemical surface properties of thiol-ene materials vary considerably with variations in stoichiometric composition, their optical properties remain mostly unchanged with an average refractive index value of 1.566 ± 0.008 for thiol-ene substrates encompassing a range from 150% excess ene to 90% excess thiol. Microfluidic chips featuring thiol-ene waveguides were fabricated from 40% excess thiol thiol-ene to ensure the presence of thiol functional groups at the surface of the waveguide. Biotin alkyne was photografted at specific locations using a photomask, directly at the interface between the microfluidic channel and the thiol-ene waveguide prior to conjugation with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. Fluorescence excitation was achieved by launching light through the thiol-ene waveguide, revealing bright fluorescent patterns along the channel/waveguide interface.

AB - Thiol-ene polymers possess physical, optical, and chemical characteristics that make them ideal substrates for the fabrication of optofluidic devices. In this work, thiol-ene polymers are used to simultaneously create microfluidic channels and optical waveguides in one simple moulding step. The reactive functional groups present at the surface of the thiol-ene polymer are subsequently used for the rapid, one step, site-specific functionalization of the waveguide with biological recognition molecules. It was found that while the bulk properties and chemical surface properties of thiol-ene materials vary considerably with variations in stoichiometric composition, their optical properties remain mostly unchanged with an average refractive index value of 1.566 ± 0.008 for thiol-ene substrates encompassing a range from 150% excess ene to 90% excess thiol. Microfluidic chips featuring thiol-ene waveguides were fabricated from 40% excess thiol thiol-ene to ensure the presence of thiol functional groups at the surface of the waveguide. Biotin alkyne was photografted at specific locations using a photomask, directly at the interface between the microfluidic channel and the thiol-ene waveguide prior to conjugation with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. Fluorescence excitation was achieved by launching light through the thiol-ene waveguide, revealing bright fluorescent patterns along the channel/waveguide interface.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84892482430&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/elps.201300271

DO - 10.1002/elps.201300271

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23983194

SN - 0173-0835

VL - 35

SP - 282

EP - 288

JO - Electrophoresis

JF - Electrophoresis

IS - 2-3

ER -