Hydrogel Stamp Rods for Uniform Flat Multi-Well Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hydrogel fabrication techniques face challenges in achieving high throughput manufacturing while maintaining precise control over hydrogel properties such as water content, mechanical strength, and surface smoothness, often resulting in inconsistent thickness and defects.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogel stamp device with vertically arranged rods and a spacer is used in conjunction with a multi-well plate, applying pressure to dispense and cure hydrogel precursor solutions, ensuring uniform thickness and adherence to the plate, utilizing UV curing and hydrophobic ends to prevent deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional bulk polymerization or mold-based methods are used, then hydrogel production can be achieved, but the thickness consistency and surface smoothness are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the hydrogel production process into discrete well units in a multi-well plate format, with each well serving as an independent production chamber. This segmentation enables standardized, repeatable production of hydrogels with consistent thickness across multiple samples while maintaining simple operational procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a stamp device with hydrophobic rods as an intermediary tool that transfers and confines the hydrogel precursor solution within the wells. This intermediary mechanism ensures uniform thickness control and smooth surfaces without requiring complex molding processes, resolving the contradiction between precision and ease of manufacture.
2Loss of substance
If traditional mold-based methods are used, then hydrogel fabrication can be performed, but material usage efficiency is low due to defects and inconsistent thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies surface modification to the well plates beforehand to create hydrophobic surfaces that prevent precursor solution leakage and ensure complete material utilization. This preliminary action eliminates defects caused by solution spreading, achieving both high material efficiency and uniform hydrogel production without waste.
3Productivity
If high throughput manufacturing is pursued, then production speed increases, but control over hydrogel properties such as water content and mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-well plate system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a production chamber, a thickness control template, a surface modification substrate, and a curing reaction vessel. This multi-functionality enables high-throughput production while maintaining precise control over hydrogel properties through standardized, repeatable processes across all wells.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention controls hydrogel properties by adjusting parameters such as precursor solution composition, well plate surface hydrophobicity, and curing conditions. These parameter changes can be systematically varied across different wells to produce hydrogels with controlled water content and mechanical strength while maintaining high throughput production.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the simultaneous production of uniform, flat hydrogels suitable for cell culture and immunoassays, enhancing throughput and reproducibility with minimal material waste.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophobic end positioned opposite the base end
Implementation Method 2
performing a vapor deposition process to apply a surface modifier onto inner surfaces of wells of a multi-well plate
Implementation Method 3
performing a curing process such that the hydrogel precursor solution located between a hydrophobic end of each of the plurality of rods and the corresponding well of the multi-well plate is crosslinked
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are devices and methods that pertain to a high-throughput formation of flat hydrogels using a hydrogel stamping technique for simultaneously producing a plurality of hydrogels in a multi-well plate. In an embodiment of the disclosed technology, a hydrogel stamp device may include a base; a plurality of rods arranged on the base and configured to be inserted into a plurality of wells of a multi-well plate to enable formation of hydrogels inside the plurality of wells, wherein each of the plurality of rods extends vertically from the base and includes: a base end connected to the base; a hydrophobic end positioned opposite the base end; and a body portion between the base end and the hydrophobic end; and a spacer that surrounds at least part of the base ends of the plurality of rods.