RII Track-4: Fast, Mass-Manufacture-Ready Prototyping of Microfluidic Water Purification Systems

Access to clean water is an urgent problem that is expected to worsen as droughts become more common and severe weather events stress the water infrastructure in the U.S. Membrane filtration is traditionally used to purify drinking water but requires electricity and can be slowed or even stopped by blockages. Alternative solutions, such as pulsed-electric-field sterilization, are available, but are expensive to manufacture.

In this Track-4 EPSCoR Fellowship, the Maine-based team will collaborate with the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, one of the world’s premier research institutes for microfluidics, to develop a new, low-cost method of quickly prototyping a portable, microfluidic pulsed-electric-field sterilization system that does not need an outside power source and is not prone to blockage. Importantly, in this new method of prototyping the final design can then be produced directly on industrial-scale papermaking equipment, allowing for rapid fabrication of high numbers of devices at low cost.

In addition to creating an accessible solution for water filtration, the connections established between the EPSCoR jurisdiction of Maine and the technology hub of Boston through this work will provide a foundation for future projects using paper and papermaking capacity in biotechnology, increasing both inclusion and sustainability in this field.

Access to clean water is a significant problem in disaster-stricken or resource-limited environments. Membrane filtration is traditionally used to remove particulates and pathogens from drinking water but requires electricity and is impeded by blockages. Alternative solutions, such as pulsed-electric-field sterilization, are available, but are impeded by high costs of prototyping and manufacturing.

In this project, the PI and her student will collaborate with the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, one of the world’s premier research institutes for microfluidics, to develop a new, low-cost method of quickly prototyping a portable pulsed-electric-field sterilization system with a direct route to mass-manufacture on industrial-scale equipment. The method is based on a 3D print-direct to roll-go-roll prototyping process previously developed by the PI for use on industrial-scale papermaking equipment.

With the assistance of Wyss researchers, the team will learn a broad range of microfluidic fabrication, assembly, and analysis techniques needed to apply this method to water purification. Through the project, the team will develop methods to address the problem of scalability and mass-manufacturability at cost-effective levels that are currently slowing the translation of advanced microfluidics from lab to field, and bringing these skills and knowledge back to her EPSCoR jurisdiction of Maine.

Acquiring a skill set in advanced microfluidics from the experts at the Wyss Institute will allow the PI to add new depth to her ongoing research collaborations both in Maine and across the U.S. while also working to help address the critical problem of water purification.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.