Hydrophilic Silk Diagnostic Device for Capillary Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic systems for analyte detection in biological samples are costly, bulky, and slow, with limitations in portability, reliability, and the ability to perform multiplex tests, and lack mature manufacturing methods for large-scale production of microfluidic devices.
Innovation Solution
A method for creating a hydrophilic silk-based diagnostic composition by treating silk fibers with an alkaline solution and a treatment solution containing surfactants and poly(ethylene glycol) to facilitate capillary flow and immobilize reagents, enabling the production of a silk-based diagnostic device suitable for point-of-care testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic-based microfluidic devices are used, then ease of manufacture and transparency are improved, but hydrophobic nature precludes simple capillary flow and sophisticated expensive readers are still required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the surface properties of the support material through plasma treatment or chemical modification. This transforms the hydrophobic plastic surface into a hydrophilic surface, enabling capillary flow without requiring sophisticated readers or complex manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer or treatment (plasma coating, chemical grafting) between the plastic substrate and the sample fluid. This intermediary modifies the surface energy and wettability of the plastic, allowing capillary flow to occur while maintaining the ease of manufacture benefits of plastic materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If paper-based lateral flow immunoassays are used, then low-cost manufacturing and automatic capillary flow are achieved, but reliability is poor and multiplex testing capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the advantages of plastic substrates (mechanical stability, manufacturing ease) with hydrophilic surface treatments (capillary flow) and controlled reagent immobilization (reliability). This composite approach creates a device that maintains low-cost manufacturing while improving reliability and enabling multiplex testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct zones on the support material with different properties - hydrophilic regions for capillary flow and controlled immobilization zones for reagents. This allows different functional areas to be optimized independently, improving overall device reliability and multiplex capability while maintaining simple manufacturing.
3Manufacturing precision
If glass or silicon microfluidic devices are used, then manufacturing precision and device stability are improved, but cost and capital investment increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts the principle of using inexpensive, disposable plastic-based devices that achieve sufficient manufacturing precision through molded features and surface treatments. Rather than requiring expensive, reusable glass or silicon devices, the invention creates single-use plastic devices that maintain adequate precision for diagnostic applications while dramatically reducing cost and capital investment.
4Ease of manufacture
If cotton thread or fiber-based devices are used, then low-cost manufacturing is achieved, but mechanical stability is poor and manufacturing methods require heat treatment or high stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining plastic substrates (providing mechanical stability) with hydrophilic surface treatments and immobilized reagents. This composite structure maintains the low-cost manufacturing advantage while eliminating the mechanical instability problems of pure cotton or fiber-based devices.
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
The silk-based diagnostic composition allows for low-cost, portable, and efficient detection of a broad range of analytes with improved mechanical stability and scalability, addressing the limitations of existing technologies by enabling rapid and reliable analysis with minimal equipment and processing costs.
Implementation Method 1
treating the at least one strand with an alkaline solution to provide at least one strand of degummed silk fiber
Implementation Method 2
facilitate capillary flow and immobilize reagents
Implementation Method 3
treatment solution containing surfactants and poly(ethylene glycol)
Implementation Method 4
immobilize reagents onto the at least one strand of degummed silk or to the hydrophilic silk fiber
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the invention provides a method for making a hydrophilic-silk composition. The method includes providing at least one strand of silk fiber, treating the silk fiber with an alkaline solution to provide at least one strand of degummed silk fiber, and treating the degummed silk fiber with a treatment solution to provide a hydrophilic-silk composition. The degummed silk fiber or the hydrophilic-silk composition is further immobilized with at least one reagent to make a silk-based diagnostic composition. The invention provides a silk-based diagnostic composition made by the method of the invention, and a diagnostic device that comprises the silk-based diagnostic composition. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of making a diagnostic device. The method includes providing at least one strand of a diagnostic-fiber composition, providing at least one strand of a hydrophobic-fiber composition, inter-weaving the at least one strand of the diagnostic-fiber composition and the at least one strand of the hydrophobic-fiber composition. In one embodiment, the diagnostic-fiber composition and the hydrophobic-fiber composition are both based on silk.