Complete inclusion of bioactive molecules and particles in polydime-thylsiloxane: a straightforward process under mild conditions

TL;DR

This paper presents a simple, mild-condition process for embedding bioactive molecules and particles into PDMS, preserving their biochemical activity and enabling new applications in robotics, microfluidics, and diagnostics.

Contribution

A straightforward method for incorporating bioactive molecules into PDMS under mild conditions, maintaining their activity for advanced biomedical and microfluidic applications.

Findings

Biochemical properties of proteins and enzymes are preserved.

The process is compatible with biological entities.

Embedded molecules remain stable and functional within PDMS.

Abstract

By applying a slow curing process, we show that biomolecules can be incorporated via a simple process as liquid stable phases inside a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix. The process is carried out under mild conditions with regards to temperature, pH and relative humidity, and is thus suitable for application to biological entities. Fluorescence and enzymatic activity measurements, show that the biochemical properties of the proteins and enzyme tested are preserved, without loss due to adsorption at the liquid-polymer interface. Protected from external stimuli by the PDMS matrix, these soft liquid composite materials are new tools of interest for robotics, microfluidics, diagnostics and chemical microreactors.