Polymer microsieves manufactured by inkjet technology

Liquid sessile drops can be used as sacrificial templates for the creation of pores in polymeric microsieves. Using inkjet printing, we deposit sessile drops of a water-based liquid onto a hydrophobic solid support and cover them with a thin liquid layer of a polymer solution in such a way that the sessile drops penetrate through the top interface of this layer. The liquid layer is solidified, and the sessile drops imprint their shape into it, acting as templates for the creation of pores. Finally, the polymer layer is separated from the substrate, and a freely suspended polymer microsieve is obtained.