In Situ Fabrication and Actuation of Polymer Magnetic Microstructures

We demonstrate a single-exposure in situ magnetic actuator fabrication technique using magnetic nanoparticles (MNs) containing UV curable polymer in a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channel. Microstructures with a 3-D anchored cantilever as well as free-floating components are fabricated in a single step at a single site without the use of a sacrificial layer. By controlling the location of high oxygen concentration area through PDMS substrate patterning, we can create partially bound and free-floating movement-restricted structures. This allows us to create complex magnetic actuators, such as a 3-D anchored cantilever, motor type, and rail-guided magnetic actuators. The actuating performance of UV photopatterned magnetic microstructures depends on the MN concentration in photopolymer resin and magnetic field intensity. The measured translational velocity of magnetic microactuators with a 1 : 10 MN concentration is 140 μm/s under 1400 G of magnetic field in poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate resin. Also, we demonstrate selective magnetic actuation of heterogeneous structures composed of magnetic and nonmagnetic parts self-assembled in railed microfluidic channels. Only magnetic parts from the assembly selectively actuated due to the magnetic field without response to the flow. Therefore, we have developed a versatile magnetic microstructure fabrication method that is very simple and fast, enabling rapid in situ fabrication and actuation.