Invention Description
Lyophilized reagents are commonly used in microfluidic diagnostic devices to improve reagent stability and simplify storage and transport. However, current industry standards call for producing these reagents with a spherical geometry and in manner which requires manual handling, which is slow and labor-intensive. Manual handling may also introduce variability that limits efficient production at larger scales. Further, a sphere may not be the best shape for all microfluid chips. There is a need for a faster and more consistent method for processing frozen reagents during diagnostic chip manufacturing.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a compact, 3D-printed rig that streamlines the removal and transfer of frozen reagent pucks for lyophilization. The system uses a rotating cylinder and guided support plate to simultaneously eject multiple frozen reagent shapes from a silicone mold directly into a liquid nitrogen reservoir. Testing with 15 µL samples demonstrated transfer speeds more than three times faster than manual handling while maintaining comparable reagent loss. This approach can improve consistency, throughput, and efficiency in the production of reagent-integrated microfluidic diagnostic devices.
This compact, 3D-printed rig automates the removal and transfer of frozen reagent pucks, making microfluidic diagnostic chip production faster and more consistent.
Potential Applications
- Manufacturing point-of-care diagnostic devices and lab-on-a-chip systems
- Preparation of freeze-dried reagents for infectious disease testing
- Production workflows for molecular and other microfluidic assays
- Diagnostic device manufacturing for settings where cold-chain storage is difficult
- Research and development laboratories producing custom-shaped reagent formats
Benefits and Advantages
- Reduced handling time by more than threefold for realistic, low-volume reagent samples
- Processes multiple reagent pucks in a single pass, helping improve production throughput
- Provides a repeatable transfer path that can reduce handling variability and product loss
- Limits direct manual handling of extremely cold materials
- Uses a simple, compact, low-cost design that can be fabricated with 3D printing
- Supports custom reagent puck shapes suited to varied microfluidic chip designs
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