Cellulose Backing for Lateral Flow Immunoassay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lateral flow immunoassay test strips and kits use non-sustainable plastic-based backings that are not compostable or biodegradable, and often contain fluorophores that interfere with result reading, lacking mechanical properties like stiffness and thickness, and are not produced via environmentally friendly processes.
Innovation Solution
A backing support made from cellulose and/or modified cellulose materials with specific density, thickness, and surface properties, enabling adhesion of pressure-sensitive adhesives and preventing fluorophore interference, produced using renewable resources and paper manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If plastic-based backings (PVC, PET, PS) are used, then dimensional stability and ease of cutting are improved, but sustainability and compostability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using cellulose with specific density ranges (0.2-0.8 g/cm³) and controlled physical properties to achieve dimensional stability without plastic. The cellulose backing is engineered with precise thickness (0.5-2.0 mm) and density parameters to match the performance of plastic backings while being biodegradable and compostable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite cellulose structures, combining different cellulose forms (natural or modified) to create a backing that achieves both mechanical stability and environmental sustainability. The composite nature allows optimization of both dimensional stability and biodegradability simultaneously.
2Illumination intensity
If plastic backings contain fluorophore materials, then optical brightness is improved, but result reading accuracy deteriorates due to interference with fluorescent beads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates fluorophore materials from the backing composition entirely. By using pure cellulose without optical brighteners or fluorescent additives, the backing becomes optically inert and does not interfere with fluorescent bead detection, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining sufficient natural brightness for visual reading.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If cellulose-based backings are used to improve sustainability, then biodegradability is improved, but mechanical properties like stiffness and thickness control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes physical parameters of cellulose including density (0.2-0.8 g/cm³), thickness (0.5-2.0 mm), and moisture content to achieve the required stiffness and mechanical strength. By carefully controlling these parameters, the cellulose backing attains sufficient rigidity to support the test strip components while maintaining full biodegradability.
4Ease of manufacture
If plastic backings are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adapts conventional paper manufacturing parameters to produce cellulose backings with controlled density, thickness, and surface properties. By optimizing processing conditions such as drying temperature, pressing pressure, and fiber orientation, the manufacturing process achieves ease of production comparable to plastic while using renewable cellulose resources that are environmentally friendly.
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sustainable rapid test strip and/or kit comprising a cellulose-based backing support of certain density.